DC-Area Federal Agencies Change Operating Status Due To Severe Weather

WASHINGTON, DC — Federal offices at some Washington, D.C., area locations have been authorized for early departure on Monday, with a mandatory exit time of 2 p.m, according to the Office of Personnel Management. All offices will be closed once the deadline passes.

Fifty-two Virginia counties are under a tornado watch Monday as a series of severe thunderstorms that could produce heavy rains, and damaging winds with gusts up to 80 mph are forecast to hit Virginia Monday, forecasters say.

In Maryland, 16 counties plus the city of Baltimore are under a tornado watch.

Related:

• Tornado Watch Issued For 52 VA Counties
• Tornado Watch Issued For 16 MD Counties, Baltimore City

Non-telework employees physically at the office will be dismissed by 2 p.m. and will receive weather and safety leave for the remaining hours of their scheduled shift.

Telework-ready employees currently at the office will receive weather and safety leave only for the time necessary to commute to their homes. Once those employees arrive at home, they are required to finish the workday by teleworking or using other forms of leave.

RELATED: Tornado Watch Issued For 52 VA Counties

Employees currently performing remote work or scheduled telework are expected to continue their duties without receiving weather and safety leave. These individuals must account for their full workday through active work, unscheduled leave, or other paid time off.

Emergency employees are required to remain at their designated worksites unless they receive specific instructions from their respective agencies.

Employees who choose to leave their offices before the designated early departure time are not eligible for weather and safety leave for any portion of the day. Those individuals may instead request unscheduled leave or utilize other forms of paid time off.

Federal employees already on pre-approved leave, including those who requested unscheduled leave before the announcement, will continue to be charged for that leave for the duration of the scheduled time. They will not receive credit for weather and safety leave during these periods.

All staff are encouraged to verify their specific agency status and follow the procedures mandated by their supervisors to ensure compliance with the early departure policy, according to OPM.