Bill Introduced to Hire Federal Employees at Remote Borders

July 19, 2016

Agencies have been facing a lot of problems in recruiting federal employees near the North Dakota ports. The main reason behind this problem is that it is hard and expensive for a person to get settled in the area. The new bill would give more benefits to the new employees so that the hiring numbers can increase and the employees feel more comfortable with the new surroundings.

The Bill to Lure more Federal Employees

The bill aimed at luring more federal employees to work at North Dakota ports was introduced by Heitkamp, D-N.D who is a U.S. Senator. The bill is named the Flexible Hire Act and it would use several federal resources to seek the most vibrant and effective workforce that can support the local communities as well as the business across the U.S. This bill would provide resources to hire workers particularly in those areas which are remote or have unusual economic circumstances.

The Challenges

The workforce challenges in Northern and Bakken borders are severe as workforce shortages are present there. The Customs and Border Protection have been trying hard to fill the shortage but they are not succeeding. The cost of living in North Dakota is too high and competitive wages offered during the oil boom are another problem. Lack of good housing is another problem that needs to be addressed. It is pertinent to add here that understaffed workforce may lead to many security threats for the nation.

The Figures

The vacancy rate at Customs and Border Protection ports across the country is 4.5 percent. This percentage is more than 15 in 28 ports which include six ports from North Dakota itself. The Grand Forks Sector includes 861 miles of international border in Minnesota and North Dakota.

The Support

Heitkamp has got some support for the bill. The President of the National Border Patrol Council, Brandon Judd recently agreed with her when he stated that working on a border is rewarding but it can also be very challenging. He added that there is a need for hiring only the best people and retaining them because the nation needs to protect the borders in the dangerous times. He also stated that the Flexible Hire Act of 2016 is a critical part of these efforts.

The Advantages

The bill would help the federal agencies get extra hiring authority and better monetary control which will enable them to hire more federal employees by offering relocation bonuses, recruitment bonuses, retention bonuses and higher rates of pay for certain occupations.