Pandemic Rules Finalized

OPM has finalized regulations proposed earlier determining the official worksite for employees who telework from an alternative worksite during an emergency situation, such as a pandemic health crisis. The final rules, in the June 15 Federal Register, also permit an agency to provide evacuation payments to an employee who is ordered to evacuate from his or her regular worksite and directed to work from home or from an alternative location during a pandemic health crisis, and clarify that the employee does not need to have a telework agreement in place at the time that the evacuation is issued to be eligible for the payment.