FMA Celebrates FY20 Funding and NDAA in the New Year
A year ago, the federal government was mired in a partial government shutdown, uncertainty, and frustration. And just a month ago, in early December 2019, the Federal Managers Association (FMA) expressed significant concerns about the costs of continuing resolutions on the federal workforce and the impact on day-to-day operations for managers. But a lot can happen in a month, and FMA is both proud and optimistic as we begin a new year.
Notably, Congress approved two spending packages to provide funding for the entire federal workforce for the remainder of Fiscal Year 2020. It’s difficult to “celebrate” the development, per se, because the fiscal year began almost three months prior to the deal being done. But FMA supported the votes – better late than never – which provide necessary resources to agencies and keep civil servants on the job. FMA particularly supported and applauded the inclusion of a 3.1 percent across-the-board pay raise for federal employees, including a 0.5 percent boost to locality pay. It’s also important to consider what the bills did not include, as well, such as proposed major cuts to health and retirement benefits. As Congress turns to funding FY 2021, we will continue to work to protect federal managers.
Similarly, while it took several months of contentious negotiations between conferees, FMA was pleased when the Fiscal Year 2020 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) passed and was signed into law in December for the 59th consecutive year.
FMA was gratified conferees maintained the two-year probationary period at the Department of Defense (DOD), allowing managers sufficient time to properly assess employees, and giving employees greater opportunity to showcase their abilities. The NDAA requires a formal analysis of the current system at DOD, which should provide meaningful data.
FMA also celebrated the inclusion of the bipartisan TRICARE Reserve Select Improvement Act, which will allow feds in the reserves and the national guard the ability to enroll in that health plan beginning in 2030. FMA fought for this issue for several years, as it gives these individuals greater choice and will result in more than 1.3 billion in savings over ten years. We give special thanks to Representatives Trent Kelly (R-MS) and John Garamendi (D-CA), who introduced the legislation and championed it through the process. We also supported the inclusion of paid parental leave for federal employees, a provision that will help recruitment and retention and shape the federal workforce as a model employer.
Among the many other provisions FMA supported and were included in the NDAA were:
Blocking the OPM/GSA merger
Extension of combat zone tax parity
Reimbursement of ederal, state, local income taxes incurred during relocation
Protections to federal employees' FEHBP, FEGLI, and FEDVIP in a government shutdown
Increased direct hiring authority
We had a very good year, but we won’t be resting on our laurels. FMA is currently finalizing its legislative agenda for 2020, including continuing to protect benefits and due process, investments in infrastructure, hiring reform, and performance management. We are excited to build on the advancements made in the last month, and look forward to working with legislators in the new year.
The views reflected in this column are those of FMA and do not necessarily represent the views of FEDmanager. To learn more about the Federal Managers Association (FMA), visit their website: FedManagers.org.