Date: January 24, 2025
From: Acting Secretary (00)
Subject: Revisions to VA Handbook 5011, Telework and Remote Work Arrangements (VIEWS 12685236)
To: Under Secretaries, Assistant Secretaries, and Other Key Officials

  1. Pursuant to President Trump’s Presidential Memorandum (PM) dated January 20, 2025, Return to In-Person Work, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is revising the Agency’s telework policy issued under 5 U.S.C. § 6502(a)(1)(A) to state that telework eligible employees must work full time at their respective duty stations (agency worksites) unless excused due to a disability, qualifying medical condition, or other compelling reason certified by the agency head and the employee’s supervisor.
  2. VA Handbook 5011 will be revised to comply with the PM. Only situational or ad hoc telework arrangements may be established (see VA Handbook 5011, Part II, Chapter 4, paragraph 5.a). VA employees will be required to work at an agency worksite unless otherwise excepted consistent with applicable law.
  3. In accordance with the PM, VA is taking the following immediate steps:
    1. Political Appointees, Senior Executive Service (SES), Senior Executive Service Equivalents (SES EQV), Senior Level (SL), and Scientific and Professional (ST) employees are no longer eligible for remote work arrangements. By February 24, 2025, all Political Appointees, SES, SES EQV, SL, and ST remote work and telework agreements will be terminated, except for ad hoc or situational telework.
    2. By February 24, 2025, remote work and telework arrangements for supervisors with current official duty stations within 50 miles of an agency facility will be terminated, except for ad hoc or situational telework. Remote work arrangements for supervisors with current official duty stations outside 50 miles of an agency facility will not be terminated at this time. Further guidance will forthcoming regarding these arrangements.
    3. By April 28, 2025, remote work and telework arrangements for non-bargaining unit employees with current official duty stations within 50 miles of an agency facility will be terminated, except for ad hoc or situational telework. Remote work arrangements for non-bargaining unit employees with current official duty stations outside 50 miles of an agency facility will not be terminated at this time. Further guidance will be forthcoming regarding these arrangements.
    4. Under Secretaries, Assistant Secretaries, and Other Key Officials may approve extensions of time necessary to comply with 2a through 2c on a case-by-case basis, such as, an office space cannot be procured for a remote employee at an agency worksite. Monthly reports will be submitted to the Office of Human Resources and Administration/Operations, Security and Preparedness reporting all extensions of time granted. Additional guidance will be sent by the Office of the Chief Human Capital Officer (OCHCO) on the monthly reporting requirement.
    5. VA will develop a phased implementation plan for compliance with the PM and expects to announce it in the upcoming weeks. Supervisors should not begin discussions around the return to in-person work with bargaining unit employees until the VA’s implementation plan has been released.
    6. This policy allows for exceptions for employees with remote and telework arrangements approved as a reasonable accommodation due to a disability or qualifying medical condition. Current reasonable accommodation arrangements will not be modified unless there is a basis under the Rehabilitation Act for revisiting or revising the arrangement. The employee’s supervisor should consult with the Office of General Counsel before conducting such review.
    7. This policy allows for exceptions for military spouses with permanent change of station orders. Current arrangements to include Domestic Employee Teleworking Overseas (DETO) arrangements will not be modified unless there is a basis for revisiting or revising the arrangement.
    8. Requests for exemptions and exceptions for compelling reasons not otherwise covered by this guidance must be approved by the Secretary. Requests should be submitted for approval per OCHCO guidance.
  4. Per VA policy, all employees eligible for ad hoc telework must have an approved VA Form 0740, Telework Request/Agreement, in VA’s personnel system of records. After February 24, 2025, and on a bi-weekly basis, reports will be generated to review and confirm that all data in the personnel system of records is in compliance with this guidance.
  5. OCHCO will issue supplemental guidance with additional information about implementation of this PM. All VA memoranda and guidance on remote and telework arrangements that conflict with this memorandum are hereby rescinded. The requirements in this memorandum will be codified in VA Handbook 5011.
  6. Thank you for your attention to this important matter. Questions concerning the requirements for Political Appointees, Senior Executives, and Senior Level positions, may be directed to Ms. Carrie Johnson-Clark, Executive Director, Corporate Senior Executive Management Office, at Carrie.Johnson@va.gov. Questions related to non-Senior Executive positions may be directed to Ms. Tracey Therit, Chief Human Capital Officer, at Tracey.Therit@va.gov.

// ORIGINAL SIGNED //
Todd B. Hunter