Fedweek

Consider Flexible Scheduling when Recalling Employees, Agencies Told Image: Kritthaneth/Shutterstock.com

The House is scheduled to vote this week on HR-7340, to require agencies to develop and publicly release plans meeting certain standards before bringing teleworking employees back to their regular workplaces.

The bill would require that at least 30 days in advance of a recall, the agency must detail the personal protective equipment to be provided to employees; protections for employees whose work requires them to be in nonfederal buildings, such as auditors; and potential measures to reverse the reopening should the need arise. Each agency’s IG would report on whether the agency has complied with this bill’s requirements and whether the agency has provided adequate PPE for its employees.

The House had included similar language in a wide-ranging pandemic relief bill it passed months ago but the Senate has not acted on it.

Also up for a House vote are HR-7496, to require agencies to produce contingency plans for responding to a major resurgence of the Coronavirus; and HR-5811, to expand the new paid parental leave authority to TSA employees other than screeners, who already are included.

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2022 Federal Employees Handbook