Steny Hoyer

The American Federation of Government Employees said it faces a series of familiar challenges again this year, despite the addition of new paid parental leave benefits and a federal pay raise victory.

A bicameral pair of lawmakers have reintroduced legislation for the sixth consecutive year now, which would ensure employees get a federal pay raise in 2021.

The House has sent “minibus” spending bills, which include a 3.1% federal pay raise, to the Senate for its consideration. Congress must pass and the president must sign both bills into law by Friday to avoid a second government shutdown this year.

Federal employees will have up to 12 weeks of paid leave for the birth, adoption or foster of a new child starting in October 2020, if Congress passes and the president signs the annual defense policy bill into law.

In today’s Federal Newscast, a group of Maryland and Virginia Democrats are worried about plans to only give federal defense workers paid family leave.

The seven-week continuing resolution gives lawmakers through Nov. 21 to complete spending bills for the rest of 2020. Notably, the CR includes additional funding for the Office of Personnel Management, which faces a budget shortfall at the start of the new fiscal year.

In today’s Federal Newscast, it’s now known when the Federal Acquisition Service will release its consolidated schedule, which will include the new special item numbers and terms and conditions.

Beyond the inevitable hurdles of avoiding a government shutdown at the end of next month, the September to-do list for House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) includes securing a 3.1% federal pay raise and passing a highly-anticipated paid family leave program into law.

The legal opinion from the Agriculture Department’s Office of General Counsel could serve as an example for other agencies looking to reorganize or relocate employees.

Federal employee unions, democrats refocus their attention on getting the Senate to agree on provisions in FY 2020 bills to block rollbacks on collective bargaining, official time for feds.