Reentry & Phase 3 Logistics

This message is intended for all DOL employees and contractors.

Dear Colleagues,

The Department is moving through its phased reentry to safely increase the number of Federal and contract staff onsite

at DOL workplaces. Our planning prioritizes the health and safety of the DOL workforce and visitors to ensure that the

Department can continue delivering its mission to the American public. Under the provisions of OMB Memorandum M-21-

25, the Department is increasing occupancy limits in a phased approach as follows:

Phase 1: Up to 50% occupancy for no less than 30 calendar days. The DOL COVID-19 Coordination Team may

extend the transition to Phase 2.

Phase 2: Up to 75% occupancy for no less than 30 calendar days. The DOL COVID-19 Coordination Team may

extend the tran ition to Pha e 3

Phase 3: Up to 100% occupancy. End of department-wide maximum telework posture.

As of March 21, 2022, you should have received a Phase 1, Phase 2, or Phase 3 email notifying you of your

determined phase and your expected return date to your office worksite and duty station. If you received a

Phase 1 email, you should have returned onsite to your official worksite and duty station, absent a remote work

arrangement. If you received a Phase 2 or Phase 3 email, you should be preparing for your return to your official

worksite and duty station and updating your telework agreements as appropriate.

If you have not received an email with a specific Phase identified, then you should have received Welcome Back

to Onsite Work Email and are considered to be a Phase 3 employee and are directed to be available to return

onsite to your official worksite and duty station beginning Monday, May 2, 2022. The DOL COVID-19 Coordination

Team continues to monitor public health information and if determined appropriate, will communicate any changes to the

start of Phase 3 with employees.

Next Steps: As we enter Phase 3 and all employees return to their designated duty stations and official

worksites. If you want to participate in telework or remote work at the start of Phase 3 reentry you should work with your

upervi or to review your work chedule, including the amount and frequency of telework permitted and have an

approved an up-to-date agreement prior to the start of Phase 3. Please note that your actual first day onsite may not be

May 2, 2022, but it will be determined by your approved telework schedule.

If you are a remote worker (e.g., an employee approved to work from an alternate worksite within or outside the local

commuting area of the agency work ite and are not e pected to report to the agency work ite on a regular and recurring

basis), you do not need to physically return to a DOL office as long as you have the required paperwork in place, and

your official worksite is the address from which you work remotely. Please talk to your supervisor to ensure that all

remote work arrangement requirement outlined in DOL’ Quick Reference Guide on Alternate Work ite Policie and

LABORNET

■

■

■
Procedures are complete and that all reentry expectations, including your work schedule, are mutually understood. If you

would like to become a remote worker, you should have this discussion with your supervisor to see if this type of work

arrangement is possible.

All employees who want to participate in telework or remote work at the start of Phase 3 must have an up-to-date

agreement in place.

Returning to the normal workplace setting after a prolonged period away can be an adjustment, and DOL is committed to

supporting employees throughout reentry. To facilitate this transition, employees are encouraged to utilize DOL’s various

worklife resources to help balance home and work needs and to talk with your supervisor about the use of available work

schedule flexibilities.

If you feel that you may need a reasonable accommodation for a disability, you should engage in the reasonable

accommodation process as soon as possible and submit your request in advance of your scheduled reentry. The

Department’s procedures on requesting and processing requests for reasonable accommodation for a disability are

provided in DLMS 6-200 Reasonable Accommodations for Employees and Applicants. Absent a pending request or an

approved accommodation for a disability, failure to report to onsite work, when directed, may result in disciplinary or

adverse action up to and including removal from Federal service. Reasonable accommodation requests should be sent

to the Civil Rights Center’s Reasonable Accommodation Resources Center (CRC/RARC): or your

agency Workplace Equality Compliance Officer (WECO).

If you have any questions, please contact your supervisor or 

Thank you,

Rachana

Rachana Desai Martin (she/her)

Assistant Secretary for Administration and Management 

Office of the Assistant Secretary for Administration and Management

U.S. Department of Labor

Questions? View the LaborNet page or email us at 

Posted: March 21, 2022