Senate, House Committees Complete Conference on NDAA

In a release issued Monday night, the House and Senate Armed Services Committees announced the end of their conference on the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2020. While the NDAA’s primary purpose is to authorize national security programs, it is often used as a vehicle for provisions impacting the civilian workforce as well.

The NDAA summary report released by the committees includes several provisions impacting the civilian federal workforce. Most notably, the conference agreement provides 12 weeks of paid parental leave to all federal civilian employees.

According to GovExec, National Active and Retired Federal Employees Association President Ken Thomas applauded the deal to include paid leave in the legislation.

“This policy is not only about the value we place on family, but also smart human resource management,” Thomas said. “The bonding time it affords federal employees with a new addition to their family is priceless, as is the government’s ability to recruit and retain top talent and a high-performing workforce that best serves the American people. With every other industrialized country providing paid parental leave to citizens, and America’s top 20 companies offering some amount of it to their employees, this policy is long overdue, but no less important.”

American Federation of Government Employees National Secretary-Treasurer Everett Kelley referred to the provision as “a large step in the right direction for full family leave.”

The Wall Street Journal, the outlet originally reporting news of the deal on paid leave, noted that the deal to include the provision came with the promised inclusion of a Space Force as a separate military service within the Department of the Air Force. Both provisions were included in the final bill summary released this week.

Other provisions included in the bill to support the civilian workforce include:

• A provision ensuring civilian moving as part of their employment with the federal government are not taxed for their relocation expenses

• A provision providing a one-year extension on authorities for certain allowances, benefits, and gratuities for civilian personnel on official duty in combat zones.

• A provision to extend and expand several hiring authorities so that the Department of Defense can quickly hire civilian personnel into key areas, such as the defense industrial facilities (shipyards, depots, and arsenals) and Major Range and Test Facilities until 2025.

• A provision to ensure supplemental dental and vision benefits and long term care insurance coverage during a government shutdown.

• A provision limiting the merger of the Office of Personnel Management with the General Services Administration.