FEBRUARY 11, 2025 – Per reference (b), the Acting Secretary of Defense terminated authority for employees to continue regular telework and remote work arrangements, unless necessary to comply with applicable laws and collective bargaining agreements, or where the agency head has certified in writing that a compelling reason exists to permit the arrangement.
Reference (c) issued initial Department of Defense (DoD) implementation guidance, to include DoD approved exemptions. The DAF process to submit requests for additional exemptions for Secretary of Defense consideration is forthcoming. Until such time as the Secretary of Defense approves additional exemption requests, the current OSD-approved exemptions are as follows:
a. Employees with an approved deferred resignation request;
b. Employees for whom telework or remote work is an approved reasonable accommodation pursuant to applicable law;
c. Employees who are approved for remote work for purposes of enabling them to accompany a Service member spouse to an assignment that is not in the vicinity of the agency worksite;
d. Employees for whom the DoD Component head has determined there is no suitable office space at the agency worksite; and
e. Employees for whom applicable law or collective bargaining obligations require an exemption.
Reference (d) directed for commands to fill 100% of their existing government in-person workstations no later than 7 February 2025. It also provided an exemption to the portion of the workforce where a shortfall of workstations exists, thus permitting cases for a regular and recurring or remote work agreement to still apply until a facility solution is available. In these cases, a regular and recurring telework schedule would consist of employees reporting to the worksite on a scheduled basis (e.g., three or more days per pay period, one or two days per pay period, once per month, etc.) dependent upon when workstations are available for the employee to report onsite for duty. While this exemption is available in the absence of ample office space at the official worksite, entering a regular and recurring telework agreement remains voluntary. If an employee does not elect to sign a telework agreement, then the employee is expected to report in the office, so long as there is facility space to report.
Situational telework may continue to be authorized for weather-related emergencies, office closures or other situations where the supervisor determines telework serves a compelling agency need (e.g., to minimize the amount of leave required for medical appointments in the middle of the work day; work on special projects; attend web-based training; an employee is recovering from an illness or injury and is able to perform work, but temporarily unable to physically report to the official worksite). Entering a situational telework arrangement remains voluntary.
Telework and remote work agreements should continue to be recorded on form DD2946, Department of Defense Telework Agreement, until further notice. Supervisors of employees who will work regular/recurring telework or remote work based on an approved OSD or DAF exception must ensure the following statement is included on the form, specifically in the “Component Specific Terms and Conditions” section: “This agreement is in accordance with an approved exception from the Secretary of Defense or Acting Secretary of the Air Force.” To preserve employee privacy in the event of an approved reasonable accommodation, do not annotate on this form what type of exception was approved.
Flexible work arrangements such as alternative work schedules (flexible or compressed) and shift work are not affected by the return to in-person work policy and may still be considered.
Major Commands/Field Commands (MAJCOMs/FLDCOMs) (or equivalent) must develop tracking mechanisms to identify the number of employees teleworking or working remotely for each exception category. Do not track by employee name, only aggregated data should be collected and maintained. Data on the number of approved reasonable accommodation requests that include telework or remote work can be provided from the Installation Disability Program Manager. All reasonable accommodation requests must be formally annotated in the reasonable accommodation tracking system to ensure accuracy of the data reported.
Should additional information be required, my POCs for this initiative are: Chris Rowzee, christy.rowzee.1@us.af.mil or Brynn “Kim” Bailey, brynn.bailey@us.af.mil.
GWENDOLYN R. DeFILIPPI, SES, DAF
Acting Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Manpower and Reserve Affairs
Reference:
(a) Presidential Memorandum, Return to In-Person Work, January 20, 2025
(b) Acting Secretary of Defense Memorandum, Implementation of Presidential Memorandum, “Return to In-Person Work,” January 24, 2025
(c) Secretary of Defense Memorandum, Initial Department of Defense Implementation Guidance, Return to In-Person Work, January 31, 2025
(d) Acting Secretary of Air Force Memorandum, Limited Facilities-Based Exemption for Return to In-Person Work, February 6, 2025