FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Telework and Remote Work
2
3. Can remote workers still be required to report to the office?
Yes. If a remote worker is approved to work remotely, they are not required to report to the
office on a regular and recurring basis during each pay period. However, agencies can require
employees to report to the office on an occasional basis as needed to carry out the functions
of their jobs. Agencies will need to take into consideration travel costs when the remote
worker’s position of record is located outside of the local commuting area of the agency
worksite (see Travel section for additional information).
Official Worksite
An employee’s official worksite will depend if they are a teleworker or a remote worker. The
employing office determines the official duty station.
• A teleworker’s official duty station will be the agency home office.
• A remote worker’s official duty station will be their home (or other approved alternate
location).
The official worksite for locality pay purposes is the location where the employee regularly
performs their duties (5 CFR 531.605
). The official worksite is documented in block 39 on the
employee’s SF-50, Notification of Personnel Action. Employees are compensated based on the
location of their official worksite. For additional information, see
5 CFR Part 531 Subpart F and
OPM Factsheet, Official Worksite for Location-Based Pay Purposes.
Telework
4. What is the official worksite for teleworkers?
The official worksite for a telework employee is the location of the regular worksite for the
employee’s position (i.e., the place where the employee would normally work absent a
telework agreement which is usually the agency worksite) as long as the employee physically
reports at least twice each biweekly pay period on a regular and recurring basis to that agency
worksite. The employee must report for a full workday, 2 times per pay period.
Example: An employee’s worksite is Washington, DC, and they telework from their home in
Richmond, VA, 4 times per week. As long as the employee reports to their Washington, DC
worksite at least 2 times per pay period, they may remain on the higher Washington, DC
locality pay table. If the employee continues to work out of their home in Richmond, VA and
does not report to their Washington, DC worksite at least 2 times per pay period, then they
are no longer eligible for the higher Washington, DC locality pay and their official worksite
must change to Richmond, VA. Moreover, the employee should be redesignated a remote
worker and not a teleworker.