The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has announced a new policy requiring eligible employees to return to in-person work at their designated duty stations. This decision aligns with President Trump's memorandum on returning to in-person work, issued on January 20.

Currently, over 20% of the VA's workforce, which totals more than 479,000 employees, are engaged in telework or remote work arrangements. The new policy outlines several key changes:

Political appointees, senior executive service members, SES equivalents, and senior-level scientific and professional employees will no longer qualify for remote work arrangements. Their telework agreements will end by February 24, 2025, except for ad hoc or situational telework.

Similarly, by February 24, 2025, supervisors whose official duty stations are within 50 miles of an agency facility will have their remote work and telework arrangements terminated unless they fall under ad hoc or situational categories.

By April 28, 2025, non-bargaining unit employees within the same distance criteria will also see their remote work and telework agreements ended under similar conditions.

For those supervisors and non-bargaining unit employees located beyond a 50-mile radius from an agency facility, current remote work and telework arrangements remain unchanged for now. Further guidance regarding these cases is expected soon.

Details about return-to-work requirements for bargaining unit employees will be disclosed later.

The VA policy allows exceptions as reasonable accommodations for disabilities or qualifying medical conditions. Military spouses with permanent change of station orders may also be granted exceptions.

“This is a commonsense step toward treating all VA employees equally,” stated Acting VA Secretary Todd Hunter. “Most VA clinical staff don’t have the luxury of working remotely, and we believe the performance, collaboration and productivity of the department will improve if all VA employees are held to the same standard.”