NDAA / Bill Impacting Benefits and Department of Defense Pay

So many employers are embarking on a new concept for Parents; benefits, grants for daycare and even back pay may all be a part of the 2020 Defense Authorization Bill. The House and Senate recently passed a bipartisan bill funding the government through 2020. We should learn soon, after the House and Senate Bills are reconciled, if parental leave, pay, childcare, and cyber security education are included in the final rule.

Many of the foundational platforms represented in this bill focus on key areas to include Department of Defense pay. For example, contractor back-pay as new wage bills would give funding to contractors who were furloughed or had reduced hours during a government shutdown; workers making $965 a week or less would qualify for the back pay. Parental leave and childcare are important issues that need attention; this bill would extend Parental Leave to up to 12 weeks for maternity as well as enable additional flexibility in how it is taken.

Paid parental leave impacts both economic and logistical concerns since it is extremely important for new parents. In addition, it is a positive endeavor for organizations; encouraging new parents to return to their employers instead of seeking additional opportunities with other ‘parental friendly’ companies. The ability to return to work recharged and refreshed increases the employee’s focus and morale in many cases. Finally, it is better for the economy since more women are likely to return to their jobs after utilizing paid maternity leave; this productivity boost can increase business as well as performance while simultaneously satisfying the work/life balance so critically needed for new parents.

Paid parental leave may not impact a company’s bottom line. California, who recently implemented a new parental leave policy, reported that over 90% of organizations witnessed a more positive effect on their profit, turnover and morale. Also, a study completed by the Institute for Women’s Policy Research offered that paid leave reduces costs, increases workplace productivity and improves family incomes. Also, Rutgers University recently found that close to 40% of women who take paid leave from work are less likely to apply for welfare.

Finally, education is another critical element for consideration in this plan, and specifically cyber security education, where non-traditional schooling (online and remote opportunities) is being considered as part of a resource/tool for military personnel training expansion.

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The information provided may not cover all aspects of unique or special circumstances, federal and postal regulations, and programs are subject to change. Our articles and replies are time sensitive. Over time, various dynamic human resource guidance and factors relied upon as a basis for this article may change. The advice and strategies contained herein may not be suitable for your situation and this service is not affiliated with OPM, the postal service or any federal entity. You should consult with school counselors, hiring agency personnel offices, and human resource professionals where appropriate. Neither the publisher nor author shall be liable for any loss or any other commercial damages, including but not limited to special, incidental, consequential, or other damages.

Defense Bill Signed

Despite a request to boost buyout amounts (government-wide) to $40,000, President Trump signed a new bill into law recently that will ensure non-defense agency amounts are maintained at $25,000. This will be the third year that Congress has consistently rejected such a request; the $25,000 threshold was established early in the Clinton Administration. Additionally, the bill will offer a 2.6% raise in January for military personnel, exceeding federal employee pay; discussions are still ongoing for a federal employee pay raise percentage. This pay increase represents the largest for military in almost nine years, resulting in approximately $670 more per year for junior enlisted troops and about $1300 additional for senior enlisted and junior officers.

The bill also encompasses authority for DoD (Dept. of Defense) to direct hire for competitive service positions. It also amends Chapter 99 of Title 5 of the United States Code provisioning for the Secretary of Defense to expedite hiring. This impacts personnel in civilian positions to include: cyber security, maintenance, acquisition, science, engineering and technology and has an expiration date of 30 September 2025. As part of this bill, a new section for recruitment is included that impacts graduates; special hiring authorities for occupations in high demand and flexibility to hire college students and graduates are among the components of this new measure. Agencies would be required to continue to follow the merit system principles. The new opportunities could make up no more than 15% of similar jobs filled in the previous year. Temporary appointments would also be available although full time, permanent hiring can be offered after graduation. In order to address security clearances for positions that are mission-critical, timelines for security reviews will be identified at 15 days for Secret positions and 45 days for Top Secret positions.

The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) is the responsible authority for developing and managing regulations surrounding laws and policies; annual reports would be required by agencies. OPM would no longer be required to approve Pentagon Senior Executive Service appointments; the Defense secretary would have this authority although it would be regulated at 50 appointments per year with a sunset date of two years.

Finally, this bill repeals a reduction in per diem expenses for DoD federal employees which will cause them to look to subsidizing costs for long-term temporary duty assignments. As part of this authority, the hiring process will then be expedited, making the Department of Defense a more competitive employer. DoD will then obtain more flexibility and timeliness when it comes to job offers for qualified applicants. For pay, the overtime rate, for example for those Department of Navy employees working dockside on a forward deployed aircraft carrier in Japan will be extended.

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Career Planning Tools

The information provided may not cover all aspects of unique or special circumstances, federal and postal regulations, and programs are subject to change. Our articles and replies are time sensitive. Over time, various dynamic human resource guidance and factors relied upon as a basis for this article may change. The advice and strategies contained herein may not be suitable for your situation and this service is not affiliated with OPM, the postal service or any federal entity. You should consult with school counselors, hiring agency personnel offices, and human resource professionals where appropriate. Neither the publisher or author shall be liable for any loss or any other commercial damages, including but not limited to special, incidental, consequential, or other damages.