Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin has released a new telework policy that aims to have Virginia state employees return to the office on July 5.
The updated policy still provides options for telework where appropriate, but all employees with current telework agreements will need to apply for teleworking options under the new policy.
“After listening to the needs of Virginians, discussing solutions with agency heads across government, and closely monitoring the pandemic, we are excited to welcome our employees in-person this summer,” Gov. Youngkin said in a press release. “We know that creative, innovative, and effective solutions for all Virginians occur with regular, in-person interaction by our incredible workforce here in the Commonwealth.”
“Embarking on a new path that values innovation and teamwork, we are updating Virginia’s telework policy for the first time in more than a decade,” he added. “Since day one, my commitment to have a best-in-class government serving all Virginians has been clear, these updates balance the demands of government services with the needs of our public servants.”
The new policy requires employees who want to work remotely for one day a week to receive approval from their agency head. Those who wish to work remotely two days a week will need the approval of a Cabinet secretary and those who wish to telework three days or more will need approval from the governor’s chief of staff.
According to the policy, employees will need to apply for telework no later than May 20. Approvals will be processed no later than June 3 to ensure all employees have clarity on their teleworking arrangements.
All new telework agreements must be fully completed by July 5 and all pre-existing telework agreements must be voided.
