OPM Updates Operating Status For DC Area Federal Employees On Wednesday

WASHINGTON, DC — For the second day in a row, all federal offices in the Washington, D.C., region will be opening with a three-hour delay on Wednesday, according to an alert from the Office of Personnel Management (OPM).

Federal employees who are eligible may take unscheduled leave or unscheduled telework on Wednesday. Otherwise, all employees are expected to report to work within three hours of their scheduled arrival time.

In addition, non-emergency employees will receive weather and safety leave for up to three hours on Wednesday to allow them to safely arrive on time.

Federal workers may need that extra three hours, as the National Weather Service predicted there's a 30-50 percent chance of light freezing rain or drizzle on Wednesday morning. This could leave what NWS describes as "a light glaze of ice accumulation" on roads in the D.C. area, creating potentially hazardous conditions for commuters.

Non-emergency employees who follow all applicable agency procedures and requirements and notify their supervisor, have the option to use one of the following, according to OPM:

1. earned annual leave, compensatory time off, credit hours, or sick leave, as appropriate;
2. leave without pay;
3. their flexible work schedule day off or rearrange their work hours under flexible work schedules; or
4. unscheduled telework.

All personnel who are considered emergency employees must report to their worksite on time unless directed otherwise by their agency.
Employees who are participating in a telework program, either regularly or on an ad hoc basis, may choose to telework rather than report to their worksite. However, they must be prepared to work or take unscheduled leave, paid time off, or any combination that equals a full workday. Weather and safety leave is not typically available to employees who are teleworking and don't report to a worksite.