Emergency Telework Act of 2020

To require Federal agencies to permit employees to telework full-time during the public health emergency relating to COVID–19, and for other purposes. 1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Emergency Telework Act of 2020 2. Telework (a) Definitions In this section— (1) the term agency (2) the term covered period 42 U.S.C. 247d (3) the term Director (4) the term eligible employee (A) the head of the agency employing the employee has determined is eligible to telework; and (B) has not been officially disciplined for— (i) being absent without permission for more than 5 days in any calendar year; or (ii) viewing, downloading, or exchanging pornography, including child pornography, on a Federal Government computer or while performing official Federal Government duties; (5) the term employee (6) the term Secretary (7) the term telework (b) Requirements (1) During covered period Notwithstanding any provision of chapter 65 (A) permit eligible employees with respect to the agency to telework on a full-time basis during the covered period; and (B) evaluate whether the agency head should, with respect to employees of the agency for whom the agency head has not made a determination described in subsection (a)(4)(A), make such a determination. (2) During renewal (A) In general If the covered period is renewed, the requirements under paragraph (1) shall remain in effect during that renewal if the Secretary, in coordination with the Director, determines that those requirements would reduce the risk of community spread with respect to COVID–19. (B) Requirements not continued If, under subparagraph (A), the Secretary, in coordination with the Director, determines that the requirements under paragraph (1) shall not remain in effect during a renewal of the covered period, the head of each agency shall— (i) permit eligible employees with respect to the agency who are at high-risk with respect to the public health emergency described in subsection (a)(2) (as determined according to guidance issued by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) to telework on a full-time basis during that renewal; (ii) during that renewal, permit full-time telework for eligible employees with respect to the agency, the work sites of whom are in areas in which the maximum use of telework would reduce the risk of community spread with respect to COVID–19, as determined by the Secretary, in coordination with the Director; and (iii) evaluate whether employees of the agency with respect to whom the agency head has not made a determination described in subsection (a)(4)(A), but who otherwise are described in clauses (i) and (ii), may become eligible employees during that renewal. (3) Waiver The head of an agency may waive the requirements of any provision of paragraph (1) or (2) that applies with respect to an employee of the agency if the agency head determines that there is a compelling reason for the waiver that relates to the effective operation of the Federal Government. (4) Plan for future outbreaks Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act, the Director, in coordination with the Secretary, shall establish a policy— (A) to maximize the use of telework by the Federal workforce during a period in which there is in effect a public health emergency that the Secretary of Human Services declares under section 319 of the Public Health Service Act ( 42 U.S.C. 247d (B) that shall be designed to be implemented before implementing any continuity of operations plan with respect to any outbreak described in subparagraph (A).

Summary: Emergency Telework Act of 2020 This bill requires each federal agency (executive, legislative, and judicial) to allow eligible employees to telework full-time during the public health emergency declared on January 31, 2020, relating to COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019). An employee is considered eligible if the employee has not received specified disciplinary action and is otherwise determined eligible by the agency. In the event the public health emergency is renewed, the bill's requirements continue to apply if the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), in coordination with the Office of Personnel Management (OPM), determines the requirements would reduce the spread of COVID-19. If the requirements no longer apply, agencies may still allow high-risk employees or employees at certain work sites to telework full-time during the renewal period. Additionally, OPM must, in coordination with HHS, develop an expansive telework policy for use in future outbreaks of infectious diseases.