Workforce

OPM likely to make decision tonight about status of government for Friday

A call of the Metropolitan Council of Governments will help determine when and if the federal government should open, close early or not close early ahead of th...

Jason Miller@jmillerWFED

January 21, 2016 4:09 pm

2 min read

UPDATED: The Office of Personnel Management is closing D.C.-area federal offices on Friday, Jan. 22, at 12 p.m. Read the full story.

The Office of Personnel Management should have a better idea by 10 p.m. tonight about the plans for the federal government tomorrow as the East Coast braces for a huge snowstorm.

OPM spokesman Sam Schumach said the Metropolitan Council of Governments, which includes representatives from the District, Maryland and Virginia counties in and around the region as well as the federal government, is expected to convene a call at 9 p.m. Thursday to discuss and plan for the snowstorm.

Schumach said he expects OPM to have a decision tonight for federal employees about what the government will do in the face of the impending storm. The options include closing altogether, opening on time,but closing early, or closing at regular time. He said new information from the National Weather Service about changes to the track or the timing of the storm could delay a decision by OPM.

OPM’s highlighted the process by which it makes decision whether or not to close the government in the face of storms through a YouTube video.

OPM issued its annual winter weather guidance in December.

The National Weather Service issued a blizzard warning for the D.C. area starting Friday afternoon and lasting through Sunday morning. The National Weather Service forecasts up to 2-feet of snow in the mid-Atlantic Region.

The blizzard warning goes into effect for D.C. starting around 3 p.m. Friday, but earlier, around 1 p.m., for areas west of the city, such as Manassas, or southeast of the city, such as Calvert County.

Federal employees were frustrated by OPM’s decision Jan. 21 to open agencies on time and not at least giving the option of unscheduled telework.