H.R. 3809 — Weather Workforce Improvement Act

This section expresses the sense of Congress that (1) accurate and timely weather forecasting is of vital importance; (2) National Weather Service employees, particularly those responsible for regularly launching weather balloons, are critical for public safety; and (3) staffing positions relating to the regular launching of weather balloons should be prioritized and categorized as critical for public safety.

This section authorizes the Director of the National Weather Service to use direct hire authority—without regard to specified civil service requirements—to appoint qualified candidates to public safety positions, including meteorologists (series 1340), general physical scientists (1301), hydrologists (1315), computer specialists (334), electronic technicians (856), and roles involving equipment operations, maintenance, analysis, information technology, or engineering, to address critical staffing needs and vacancies. The authority sunsets on the earlier of two years after enactment or the date all such positions are filled. It requires the Office of Personnel Management to designate these positions as public safety positions. This section amends Title I of the Weather Research and Forecasting Innovation Act of 2017 (15 U.S.C. 8511 et seq.) as follows: (1) adds to section 101 (15 U.S.C. 8511) a requirement for the NOAA Under Secretary to ensure the agency provides accurate, timely weather forecasts, information, and impact-based decision support services to protect lives, property, and the economy; (2) redesignates section 110 (15 U.S.C. 8519, authorization of appropriations) as section 111; and (3) inserts new section 110 requiring the National Weather Service Director to submit annual assessments, beginning one year after enactment, to the NOAA Under Secretary and specified congressional committees on hiring milestones, timelines, service expectations, and potentially staffing levels per forecasting office, and separately to congressional committees on employee health, stress, morale, and long-term impacts from rotating shifts (with authority to contract a private entity and include mitigation options and benefit improvements). It makes conforming changes to the table of contents.