text: SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
  
      This Act may be cited as the ``Architect of the Capitol Human 
  Resources Act''.
  
  SEC. 2. FINDING AND PURPOSE.
  
      (a) Finding.--The Congress finds that the Office of the Architect 
  of the Capitol has not kept pace with human resource management 
  practices common among other Federal and private sector organizations.
      (b) Purpose.--It is the purpose of this Act to require the 
  Architect of the Capitol to establish and maintain a personnel 
  management system that incorporates fundamental principles that exist 
  in other modern personnel systems.
  
  SEC. 3. PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT SYSTEM.
  
      (a) Establishment.--The Architect of the Capitol shall establish 
  and maintain a personnel management system.
      (b) Requirements.--The personnel management system shall at a 
  minimum include the following:
              (1) A system which ensures that applicants for employment 
          and employees of the Architect of the Capitol are appointed, 
          promoted, and assigned on the basis of merit and fitness after 
          fair and equitable consideration of all applicants and 
          employees through open competition.
              (2) An equal employment opportunity program which includes 
          an affirmative employment program for employees and applicants 
          for employment, and procedures for monitoring progress by the 
          Architect of the Capitol in ensuring a workforce reflective of 
          the diverse labor force.
              (3) A system for the classification of positions which 
          takes into account the difficulty, responsibility, and 
          qualification requirements of the work performed, and which 
          conforms to the principle of equal pay for substantially equal 
          work.
              (4) A program for the training of Architect of the Capitol 
          employees which has among its goals improved employee 
          performance and opportunities for employee advancement.
              (5) A formal performance appraisal system which will permit 
          the accurate evaluation of job performance on the basis of 
          objective criteria for all Architect of the Capitol employees.
              (6) A fair and equitable system to address unacceptable 
          conduct and performance by Architect of the Capitol employees, 
          including a general statement of violations, sanctions, and 
          procedures which shall be made known to all employees, and a 
          formal grievance procedure.
              (7) A program to provide services to deal with mental 
          health, alcohol abuse, drug abuse, and other employee problems, 
          and which ensures employee confidentiality.
              (8) A formal policy statement regarding the use and accrual 
          of sick and annual leave which shall be made known to all 
          employees, and which is consistent with the other requirements 
          of this section.
  
  SEC. 4. IMPLEMENTATION OF PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT SYSTEM.
  
      (a) Development of Plan.--The Architect of the Capitol shall--
              (1) develop a plan for the establishment and maintenance of 
          a personnel management system designed to achieve the 
          requirements of section 3;
              (2) submit the plan to the Congress not later than 3 months 
          after the date of enactment of this Act; and
              (3) implement the plan not earlier than 30 days and not 
          later than 90 days after the plan is submitted to the Congress, 
          as specified in paragraph (2).
      (b) Evaluation and Reporting.--The Architect of the Capitol shall 
  develop a system of oversight and evaluation to ensure that the 
  personnel management system of the Architect of the Capitol achieves 
  the requirements of section 3 and complies with all other relevant 
  laws, rules and regulations. The Architect of the Capitol shall report 
  to the Congress on an annual basis the results of its evaluation under 
  this subsection.
      (c) Application of Laws.--Nothing in this Act shall be construed to 
  alter or supersede any other provision of law otherwise applicable to 
  the Architect of the Capitol or its employees, unless expressly 
  provided in this Act.
  
  SEC. 5. DISCRIMINATION COMPLAINT PROCESSING.
  
      (a) Definitions.--For purposes of this section:
              (1) The term ``employee of the Architect of the Capitol'' 
          or ``employee'' means--
                      (A) any employee of the Architect of the Capitol;
                      (B) any applicant for a position that is to be 
                  occupied by an individual described in subparagraph 
                  (A); or
                      (C) any individual who was formerly an employee 
                  described in subparagraph (A) and whose claim of a 
                  violation arises out of the individual's employment 
                  with the Architect of the Capitol.
              (2) The term ``violation'' means a practice that violates 
          subsection (b) of this section.
      (b) Discriminatory Practices Prohibited.--
              (1) In general.--All personnel actions affecting employees 
          of the Architect of the Capitol shall be made free from any 
          discrimination based on--
                      (A) race, color, religion, sex, or national origin, 
                  within the meaning of section 717 of the Civil Rights 
                  Act of 1964 (42 U.S.C. 2000e-16);
                      (B) age, within the meaning of section 15 of the 
                  Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967 (29 U.S.C. 
                  633a); or
                      (C) handicap or disability, within the meaning of 
                  section 501 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (29 
                  U.S.C. 791) and sections 102 through 104 of the 
                  Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 
                  12112-14).
              (2) Intimidation prohibited.--Any intimidation of, or 
          reprisal against, any employee by the Architect of the Capitol, 
          or by any employee of the Architect of the Capitol, because of 
          the exercise of a right under this section constitutes an 
          unlawful employment practice, which may be remedied in the same 
          manner as are other violations described in paragraph (1).
      (c) Procedure for Consideration of Alleged Violations.--
              (1) General accounting office personnel appeals board.--Any 
          employee of the Architect of the Capitol alleging a violation 
          of subsection (b) may file a charge with the General Accounting 
          Office Personnel Appeals Board in accordance with the General 
          Accounting Office Personnel Act of 1980 (31 U.S.C. 751-55) and 
          regulations of the Board. Such a charge may be filed only after 
          the employee has filed a complaint with the Architect of the 
          Capitol in accordance with requirements prescribed by the 
          Architect of the Capitol and has exhausted all remedies 
          pursuant to such requirements.
              (2) Authority of architect.--The Architect of the Capitol 
          shall carry out any action within its authority that the Board 
          orders under section 4 of the General Accounting Office 
          Personnel Act of 1980 (31 U.S.C. 753).
              (3) Reimbursement.--The Architect of the Capitol shall 
          reimburse the General Accounting Office for costs incurred by 
          the Board in considering charges filed under this section.
      (d) Amendments to the General Accounting Office Personnel Act of 
  1980.--
              (1) Section 751(a)(1) of title 31, United States Code, 
          amended by inserting ``or Architect of the Capitol'' after 
          ``Office''.
              (2) Section 753(a) of title 31, United States Code, is 
          amended--
                      (A) in paragraph (7) by striking ``and'' at the end 
                  of the paragraph;
                      (B) in paragraph (8) by striking the period and 
                  inserting ``; and''; and
                      (C) by inserting at the end thereof the following:
              ``(9) an action involving discrimination prohibited under 
          section 4(b) of the Architect of the Capitol Human Resources 
          Act.''.
              (3) Section 755 of title 31, United States Code, is 
          amended--
                      (A) in subsection (a) by striking the ``or (7)'' 
                  and inserting ``, 7, or (9)''; and
                      (B) in subsection (b) by striking ``or applicant 
                  for employment'' and inserting ``applicant for 
                  employment, or employee of the Architect of the 
                  Capitol''.
target: Architect of the Capitol Human Resources Act - Directs the Architect of the Capitol (AOC) to establish, implement, maintain, evaluate, and report to the Congress annually on a personnel management system that:  (1) ensures that applicants for employment and employees of the AOC are appointed, promoted, and assigned on the basis of merit and fitness after fair and equitable consideration of all applicants and employees through open competition; (2) provides an equal employment opportunity program which includes an affirmative employment program and procedures for monitoring progress by the AOC in ensuring a workforce reflective of the diverse labor force; (3) includes a system for classification of positions which takes into account the difficulty, responsibility, and qualification requirements of the work performed and which conform to the principle of equal pay for substantially equal work; (4) has a training program for AOC employees which has among its goals improved employee performance and oppotunities for employee advancement; (5) has a formal performance appraisal system which will permit the accurate evaluation of job performance on the basis of objective criteria for all AOC employees; (6) has a fair and equitable system to address unacceptable conduct and performance by AOC employees, including a general statement of violations, sanctions, and procedures which shall be made known to all employees and a formal grievance procedure; (7) has a program to provide services to deal with mental health, alcohol abuse, drug abuse, and other employee problems and which ensures employee confidentiality; and (8) has a formal policy statement regarding the use and accrual of sick and annual leave which shall be made known to all employees and which is consistent with the requirements of this Act. 
  Requires all personnel actions affecting AOC employees to be made free from any discrimination prohibited by:  (1) the Civil Rights Act of 1964; (2) the Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967; (3) the Rehabilitation Act of 1973; and (4) the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990.  Sets forth procedures for consideration of alleged violation of such provisions by AOC employees. Declares that any intimidation of, or reprisal against, any AOC employee or by any AOC employee, because of the exercise of a right under such provisions constitutes an unlawful employment practice which may be remedied in the same manner as are other violations described in this Act. 
  Amends the General Accounting Office Personnel Act of 1980 to prohibit a current or former officer or employee of the AOC from being appointed as a member of the General Accounting Office Personnel Appeals Board.  Authorizes the Board to consider and order corrective or disciplinary action in a case arising from an action involving discrimination prohibited under this Act.  Subjects the final decision of the Board to judicial review.  Allows an AOC employee to be awarded attorney's fees if she or he prevails in such case.
feat_title: Architect of the Capitol Human Resources Act