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NTEU supports a call from all four senators from Maryland and Virginia to allow federal employees to continue working from home amid the surge in coronavirus cases.
Sens. Chris Van Hollen and Benjamin Cardin of Maryland and Sens. Mark Warner and Tim Kaine from Virginia sent a letter to the administration opposing plans to require many federal employees in the national capital region—and nationwide— to return to their worksites.
“The current guidance is encouraging agencies to end maximum telework prematurely,” the senators wrote. “COVID-19 is a deadly threat to anyone –and anyone can carry the virus and transmit it to others –but the current OPM/OMB guidance only supports sustained maximum telework throughout the pandemic for certain workers deemed to be high risk.” They added that federal employees have been successfully teleworking throughout the pandemic.
NTEU is working with agencies on a daily basis to ensure employees have flexibility to manage their work and family responsibilities, that work sites are thoroughly cleaned, personal protective equipment is ample, and that there are clear protocols for keeping employees safe.
“We agree that forcing employees back onto public transportation and into crowded offices could be a setback and hasten the spread of coronavirus,” NTEU National President Tony Reardon said. “And as long as normal child care providers like day cares and summer camps remain largely shut down, it is unrealistic to expect federal workers to be able to go back to normal office hours at this time.”