Question involves whether personnel are continuing to draw higher locality pay rates based on former work locations. Image: SevenMaps/Shutterstock.com
By: FEDweek StaffThe House version of the annual DoD authorization bill (HR-2670) would for the first time require an agency to review pay rates of their employees working offsite.
That is an issue that has arisen from time to time since the start of the pandemic, when many employees started working from home mainly or exclusively—some of whom in addition moved to a new area. Many have continued in either “remote” status, in which they are not required to regularly report to an agency worksite, or in telework status, in which they are, although rates are well below their peak of 2020 and are continuing to decline.
The question of whether they are continuing to draw higher locality pay rates based on their former work locations when they actually are now working where rates are lower is one of the issues underlying the push-back by many Capitol Hill Republicans against telework and remote work.
The bill approved by the House Armed Services Committee and which soon could reach the House floor, would order DoD to “review current telework policies and telework locations of employees to ensure that an employee is not receiving a higher General Schedule locality pay than that of the area in which they reside and perform their telework duties.” DoD also would have to “review telework agreements of all employees to ensure proper agreement and arrangements are in place regarding their telework abilities, eligibility, and location
Those findings would have to be presented to Congress in early January, which would be in time for possible changes in law in next year’s budget cycle.
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