Title 2The CongressRelease 119-73

§1417 Option to request remote work assignment or paid leave of absence during pendency of procedures

Title 2 › Chapter CHAPTER 24— - CONGRESSIONAL ACCOUNTABILITY › Subchapter SUBCHAPTER IV— - ADMINISTRATIVE AND JUDICIAL DISPUTE-RESOLUTION PROCEDURES › § 1417

Last updated Apr 6, 2026|Official source

Summary

If an employee files a claim that their employing office violated part A of subchapter II, the employee can ask to work from a different location while the claim is being considered. The employer can allow remote work if it would meaningfully reduce contact between the employee and the person accused. If remote work is not possible or would not reduce contact, the employer may instead give paid leave, give both paid leave and remote work, or make other changes that reduce contact. The employer must not grant these options in a way that breaks section 1317. If paid leave is given, the employer cannot make the employee use their accrued vacation or personal leave instead. These rules do not apply if they conflict with a current collective bargaining agreement.

Full Legal Text

Title 2, §1417

The Congress — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)(1)At the request of a covered employee who files a claim alleging a violation of part A of subchapter II by the covered employee’s employing office, during the pendency of any of the procedures available under this subchapter for consideration of the claim, the employing office may permit the covered employee to carry out the employee’s responsibilities from a remote location (referred to in this section as “permitting a remote work assignment”) where such relocation would have the effect of materially reducing interactions between the covered employee and any person alleged to have committed the violation, instead of from a location of the employing office.
(2)If, in the determination of the covered employee’s employing office, a covered employee who makes a request under this subsection cannot carry out the employee’s responsibilities from a remote location or such relocation would not have the effect described in paragraph (1), the employing office may during the pendency of the procedures described in paragraph (1)—
(A)grant a paid leave of absence to the covered employee;
(B)permit a remote work assignment and grant a paid leave of absence to the covered employee; or
(C)make another workplace adjustment, or permit a remote work assignment, that would have the effect of reducing interactions between the covered employee and any person alleged to have committed the violation described in paragraph (1).
(3)An employing office may not grant a covered employee’s request under this subsection in a manner which would constitute a violation of section 1317 of this title.
(4)In granting leave for a paid leave of absence under this section, an employing office shall not require the covered employee to substitute, for that leave, any of the accrued paid vacation or personal leave of the covered employee.
(b)Subsection (a) does not apply to the extent that it is inconsistent with the terms and conditions of any collective bargaining agreement which is in effect with respect to an employing office.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

References in Text

Part A of subchapter II, referred to in subsec. (a)(1), was in the original “part A of title II”, meaning part A (§§ 201–207) of title II of Pub. L. 104–1, Jan. 23, 1995, 109 Stat. 7, which is classified principally to part A of subchapter II of this chapter. For complete classification of part A to the Code, see Tables.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date

Section effective upon expiration of the 180-day period beginning on Dec. 21, 2018, with provisions for effect on pending proceedings, see section 401 of Pub. L. 115–397, set out as an

Effective Date

of 2018 Amendment note under section 1301 of this title.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

2 U.S.C. § 1417

Title 2The Congress

Last Updated

Apr 6, 2026

Release point: 119-73