OPM overhauls severe weather leave guidelines

After last winter's Washington-area snowstorms, the Office of Personnel Management is modifying its leave policies to permit more employees to telework during severe weather.

The changes are designed to maintain government productivity and operations while keeping federal workers safe, OPM Director John Berry told reporters on Wednesday.

OPM's revised guidelines adjust the requirements for two operating status designations. The status previously known as "open with unscheduled leave" will change to "the option for unscheduled leave or unscheduled telework," which means employees with telework agreements can choose to work outside the office rather than use personal leave. "Closed" will be renamed "closed to the public." Emergency employees will be required to report to work, and those scheduled to telework will be expected to do so.

The new policies align with the Obama administration's mandate to improve telework governmentwide. President Obama last week signed the 2010 Telework Enhancement Act, which gives agencies 180 days to establish a policy for working outside the office, identify eligible employees and inform them of the option. The law also requires agencies to name an official to manage telework programs, and incorporate the policy into plans for continuing essential services during natural disasters or other emergencies.

Officials said agencies will begin to incorporate the new severe weather policies as they roll out telework programs, written agreements and improved information technology infrastructure. Some agencies might not be ready this winter, however.

"Unscheduled telework will not take hold overnight," Berry said. "But as it does, productivity is going to go up, gridlock is going to go down and snow is going to be a lot less of a headache."

OPM works with other federal, state and local officials to make status determinations, and its decisions apply to all employees who work inside the Beltway, according to officials. Managers at sites just outside that boundary can change schedules as necessary depending on weather conditions. About 300,000 federal workers are based in the region. Local Federal Executive Boards make operating status decisions for metropolitan areas outside Washington.

"It's a lot more than me just looking out the window in the morning," Berry said.

The goal is to reduce the cost of government closure because a percentage of the payroll will go to telework no matter the weather, according to Berry. OPM officials could not provide an estimate of productivity losses due to last year's storms, but they will be asking agencies to track employee attendance and telework this winter.

According to National Weather Service meteorologist Christopher Strong, this winter on average is likely to be milder than normal, with warmer temperatures, fewer snowstorms and a greater chance of ice.