veterans affairs
The VA plans a series of reforms, could fire 1,000 employees
On Monday, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs said it will make changes in the agency in order to improve customer service following the health-care scandal that hit earlier this year.
Veterans Affairs Secretary Robert McDonald said a new position, chief customer service officer, will be created, with that person overseeing a program that will streamline the VA's regional centers in a single network, the Los Angeles Times reports. The VA will also sponsor councils across the country to assist veterans with getting access to private and public resources.
The reforms come in the wake of the agency's scandal involving delayed health care and false appointment data. During a 60 Minutes episode that aired Sunday, McDonald said that 35 staffers who "violated our values" will be fired, and 1,000 more, many already on administrative leave, could also lose their jobs.