The Plain Writing Act of 2010 (Public Law 111-274, the Act) requires federal agencies to write [SR1.1]“clear Government communication that the public can understand and use.” Specifically, federal agencies are required to use “plain writing,” or writing that is clear, concise, well-organized, and follows best practices. The Act also requires the agency to post a report on the agency’s compliance with the Act on its website.
NCUA fully complies with the Plain Writing Act of 2010.
Compliance with the Act is a priority among NCUA’s leadership, managers, and staff. This report documents the agency’s Plain Writing Act compliance activities for the 2025–2026 compliance period, completing the fourteenth annual review of NCUA’s compliance with the Act.
Agency Official for Plain Writing
Sierra F. Robinson
Director, Office of External Affairs and Communications
Questions or comments concerning the agency’s plain writing efforts can be sent to OEAC_Mail@ncua.gov. NCUA’s plain writing webpage meets the Act’s requirements for accessibility to agency implementation and compliance reports and includes:
- A link to the federal plain language website;
- Writing guidelines used by NCUA staff; and
- Contact information for public comments on plain writing.
Agency Activities
NCUA’s compliance with the Plain Writing Act is driven by training and established quality control processes within the agency. The importance of clear communication is reinforced through the agency’s Communications Manual, which provides tools and information intended to demystify plain language and facilitate staff success in writing to plain language standards.
As shown in the chart below, all new NCUA employees and examiners are required to take plain writing courses as part of their onboarding process. Optional refresher training is also offered to employees.
Classes | Audience | Number of Class Sessions * |
|---|---|---|
Webinar on Communications Manual and Agency Templates | All staff | N/A |
Plain Writing, 1 day (As part of STEP 7 training) | All New Examiners (mandatory) | 8 |
The Plain Writing Act (One online module) | All new NCUA employees when they onboard (mandatory) | N/A |
* N/A indicates online training that is available continuously.
Over the course of the reporting period, the Office of External Affairs and Communications (the office with primary responsibility for plain language) received extensive feedback on agency templates and writing guidance. In response, we refined internal processes and products and delivered a webinar to facilitate staff success with agency writing tools and resources.
Summary
NCUA is committed to continuous improvement in the clarity of our written products and maintains full compliance with the provisions of the Plain Writing Act. All employees have taken the required Plain Writing Act course and further training in plain writing is a key component of examiner training. NCUA will continue to mandate plain writing training as part of onboarding new employees and respond to feedback in order to improve both our plain language tools and delivery.