Today, at approximately 4:30 PM, DC declared a state of emergency and a public health emergency and recommended that “non-essential mass gatherings, including conferences and conventions” be postponed or canceled. Mass gatherings are defined as events with 1,000 or more people in one location. These declarations allow Mayor Bowser to make use of a broader array of authorities to prevent further spread of COVID-19. Such authorities include the power to set quarantines and curfews, access to more emergency funds, and prohibiting price gouging on essential items.
During a briefing on coronavirus policy and preparedness given by EPA officials to union representatives on March 10, 2020, the agency indicated that it intended to take its cues regarding when to implement certain telework and leave policies from local authorities, as they have already done in EPA Regions 2, 9, and 10. This may mean notification from EPA or OPM within the next few days that unscheduled leave and unscheduled telework will be available to EPA Headquarters employees. For more information on what unscheduled telework and unscheduled leave mean, follow this link. Also, review the mass mailer regarding preparing for telework that was sent out earlier today, Article 54 of our collective bargaining agreement, and OPM guidance and Q&As.
NTEU National and Chapter 280 will continue to work with the agency to attempt to ensure that as many options as possible are available for EPA and other federal employees to protect their and their families’ health, safety, and financial security while continuing to serve the public.