Here’s a simplified summary of the Agency Return to Office Implementation Plans Memorandum (January 27, 2025):
Purpose:
The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) and the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) are requiring federal agencies to implement the January 20, 2025, Presidential Memorandum directing eligible federal employees to return to full-time, in-person work. Agencies must develop detailed plans for compliance.
Key Requirements for Agencies:
- Implementation Plans:
Agencies must submit their return-to-office plans to OMB and OPM by February 7, 2025, at 5:00 PM EST. These plans must include:- Revisions to telework agreements and key milestones for implementation.
- Timelines for bringing eligible employees back to in-person work as quickly as possible.
- Steps to bring Collective Bargaining Agreements (CBAs) into compliance with the directive.
- Identification of permanent duty stations for employees currently teleworking remotely and related relocation costs.
- Strategies to address risks or barriers (e.g., office space, budgets) and how to overcome them.
- Processes for granting exemptions for disabilities, medical conditions, or other compelling reasons.
- Clear criteria for defining and granting exemptions, including limited exceptions (e.g., military spouses).
- Guiding Principles:
- Prioritize immediate returns: Begin with headquarters and nearby employees. Phase in remote workers located more than 50 miles from federal offices.
- Efficient space use: Maximize existing federal office space and consolidate real estate where possible, in coordination with the General Services Administration (GSA) and local Federal Executive Boards (FEBs).
- Collaborative organization: Group employees by duties and functions to improve management and collaboration.
Next Steps:
Agencies must send their plans to [email protected] and [email protected] for review and approval. This policy aims to ensure a smooth, consistent, and cost-effective transition to full-time, in-person federal work.
The full document can be found here: https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/latest-memos/agency-return-to-office-implementation-plans.pdf
Disclaimer: Some parts of this article were generated using a specialized AI to summarize and simplify the bill in order to make it readily accessible. The goal is to make it easy to read and understand without bias, opinion or analysis