A memo released Monday by the White House’s Office of Management and Budget (OMB) and the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) gave guidelines of how federal agencies should slowly lift mandatory teleworking for employees and gradually begin to reopen offices.
“Now, in partnership with state, local, tribal, and territorial governments, and the private sector, the Federal government is actively planning to ramp back up government operations to the maximum extent possible, as local conditions warrant, consistent with the National guidelines for Opening Up America Again,” OMB and OPM said. “Opening Up America Again” is a three-phased approach from the Trump administration based on the advice of public health experts and contains steps that “will help state and local officials when reopening their economies, getting people back to work, and continuing to protect American lives.”
“The National guidelines allow objective assessments of epidemiological status and overall preparedness by states to follow a phased approach for individuals and employers to resume normal activities,” OBM and OPM continued. “The guidelines incorporate gating criteria which must be met in a state or county (in addition to core preparedness responsibilities) before proceeding to the phased reopening process: 1) influenza-like illnesses and covid-like cases of illness must trend downward for 14 days; 2) documented COVID-19 cases and prevalence of positive tests must trend downward for 14 days (while not decreasing the overall number of tests); and, 3) local hospitals must have the capacity to treat all patients without crisis care and jurisdictions must have a robust healthcare worker testing program and plan in place.”
Teleworking
The memo outlines several topics, but in particular teleworking.
“Agencies are encouraged to begin moving toward normal operations as conditions utilizing available telework levels, which will generally align to the designated office location pursuant to the guidelines for Opening Up America Again,” OMB and OPM said.
The following table was provided in the guidance for teleworking:
“In addition to updating telework policies, agencies may consider new work arrangements for the immediate future to support resumption of normal activities, while ensuring the health and safety of the workforce,” said OMB and OPM. “As an example, agencies may create cohorts or teams within an office and place the cohort or team on alternating schedules of five days in the office and 15 days of telework per month. ”
The complete 10-page memo can be downloaded here from the White House’s website