President Joe Biden’s administration informed federal agencies that they should have return-to-work plans in place by July 19, 2021.
The administration’s Safer Federal Workforce Task Force has been enlisted to orchestrate the return to work plans and sent an email to federal agency leaders informing of the need to have a plan in place by July 19. The Government Executive published a report of the news and printed portions of an email informing of request for these return-to-work plans. Below are potions of the email as released by the Government Executive.
“Agencies will need to have finalized their plans for both reentry and post-reentry procedures and policies by July 19,” said a task force email to agencies on Tuesday, sent in collaboration with the Office of Management and Budget, the Office of Personnel Management and the General Services Administration. “Agencies may submit earlier at their discretion.”
“Guidance to agencies will be updated to support agencies and supervisors in implementing personnel policy and work environment flexibilities with staff,” the email said.
A spokesperson from the Office of Management Budget (OMB) provided more details of how the return-to-work plan would be carried out.
“Each agency will develop its plan based on its own mission needs and workplace environment,” an OMB official told Government Executive. “The Executive Office of the President’s approach to planning and implementing a safe, increased return of its employees to the White House campus is consistent with the approach being followed by other federal agencies. Like other agencies, the Executive Office of the President is planning for a phased return of its employees.”
It should be noted that just because these plans have to be in place no later than July 19, it does not set a date when the plans have to be implemented.
