Open? Closed? OPM redefines operating statuses

Workforce

Open? Closed? OPM redefines operating statuses

The Office of Personnel Management provides a behind-the-scene look at how Director Berry plans to handle the winter ahead, introduces a new set of operating st...

Federal News Network Staff

December 15, 2010 12:02 pm

1 min read

By Suzanne Kubota
Senior Internet Editor
FederalNewsRadio.com

The Office of Personnel Management is changing the definition of employee leave when there is a weather-related or other event that forces a change to how the federal government does business.

OPM Director John Berry this morning re-committed to making a closure decision by 4 a.m. on those days when weather is a factor.

Federal News Radio’s Jason Miller attended the briefing by OPM and the National Weather Service. Miller reports the NWS said there will be a milder winter this year with less snow and precipitation because of the la Nina effect. However, the NWS also said to expect more mixed storms of snow, rain and ice.

Also announced were major changes to two of the terms used to describe the status of government operations.

Under the old terms, agencies formerly “open, operating under an unscheduled leave policy” or “closed” will now be referred to as “open, unscheduled leave or unscheduled telework day” for employees with an existing telework agreement or “closed to the public,” meaning emergency personnel must report and if you are scheduled to telework that day, you still should telework.

Berry said the OPM will continue to work with the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments to make the decision.

See below for the full text of the OPM guidance.

12.15.2010 OPM Dismissal Procedures