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S82119th CongressWALLET

Telework Reform Act of 2025

Sponsored By: Senator Lankford, James [R-OK]

Introduced

Summary

The bill would _modernize federal telework and remote-work rules_ and set new standards for agency policies, hiring, security, and reporting. It would also let agencies noncompetitively hire qualified veterans and military spouses and create a seven-year pilot for spouses of certain law enforcement officers to fill full-time remote positions.

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  • Federal employees and supervisors: Would require telework agreements limited to one year and annual reviews. Agencies must provide training, track attendance, and can restrict telework for underperformance or disciplinary reasons.
  • Veterans, military spouses, and law enforcement spouses: Would allow noncompetitive appointments of qualified covered veterans and military spouses to remote-work positions. It creates a seven-year pilot for defined law enforcement spouses and requires OPM to report after four years and annually thereafter.
  • Agencies, security, and oversight: Would direct OMB, OPM, DHS, and NIST to issue and update information-security guidance and require systems to verify approved worksites. OPM must expand telework data by days-per-pay-period categories and the Comptroller General must study constituent-service processing times against 2019 baselines.

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Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

6 provisions identified: 2 benefits, 1 costs, 3 mixed.

Remote hiring for veterans and spouses

If enacted, agencies could noncompetitively hire qualified covered veterans and spouses of service members into remote jobs when the agency head finds them qualified. The bill would also run a limited pilot letting agencies noncompetitively hire spouses of certain law enforcement officers for up to seven fiscal years. OPM must report hiring data starting in the fourth fiscal year after enactment and then yearly until the pilot ends.

New cybersecurity rules for telework

If enacted, OMB would issue telework cybersecurity guidelines within 180 days. OMB would review and update those guidelines each year with DHS and NIST. This aims to strengthen protection for government systems and personal data when employees work remotely.

No travel pay within 75 miles

If enacted, employees working from an approved alternate worksite within 75 miles of their agency site would not get travel pay for commuting. There is one exception: travel during the workday that the agency head (or designee) expressly approves. This could raise out-of-pocket commuting costs for some federal workers.

More telework reports and training

If enacted, agencies must run surveys and post telework portals. Telework Managing Officers would do biennial employee surveys and share results with agency leaders. Managers and teleworkers would get annual training on accurate reporting and time systems. OPM and agencies would report telework participation by how often employees work remotely and OMB must send monthly in-person attendance reports to Congress for 60 months.

New telework rules and checks

If enacted, OPM would write rules that define telework and remote work and set how agencies approve jobs for remote work. Agencies would need systems to confirm employees are at approved worksites. Written telework agreements would be limited to one year. The new telework rule would not override collective bargaining agreements in effect before October 1, 2024 until those agreements expire or two years after enactment.

GAO study on agency service times

If enacted, the Government Accountability Office would compare current agency service processing times to 2019 and report results within 90 days. The study must include how many people ask for services and how many staff are available. This is an informational study that could lead to later changes in service delivery.

Sponsors & CoSponsors

Sponsor

Lankford, James [R-OK]

OK • R

Cosponsors

  • Sen. Peters, Gary C. [D-MI]

    MI • D

    Sponsored 1/22/2025

Roll Call Votes

No roll call votes available for this bill.

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