The Education Department is closing its offices in the Washington, D.C. metro area later today, and broadening those closures beyond the region on Wednesday, citing unspecific “security reasons.”
James Hairfield, the director of the Education Department’s Office of Security, Facilities, and Logistics, told staff in an email obtained by Federal News Network, that all department offices in the National Capital Region will be “closed for security reasons,” starting at 6 p.m. Eastern on Tuesday.
“Employees must vacate the building by that time,” Hairfield wrote.
According to the email, all department offices in the National Capital Region, as well as regional offices, will be closed to employees and contractor employees on March 12.
The email states that employees with approved telework agreements may work from home on Wednesday.
“Please take your laptop with you when departing the office on Tuesday, March 11th,” the email states. “Employees will not be permitted in any ED facility on Wednesday, March 12th, for any reason. All offices will reopen on Thursday, March 13th, at which time in-person presence will resume.”
The American Federation of Government Employees Local 252, which represents Education Department employees, told bargaining unit workers in an email that the union is “aware of the notice” regarding office closures.
“We understand that this raises questions (and more confusion) regarding work expectations,” the union wrote, “Our guidance is that, in compliance with the presidential memorandum directing employees to return to the office, supervisors should have already terminated remote work and telework agreements for all employees within commuting distance of an ED office.”
“If you are within the commuting area and not on an active telework agreement, we recommend informing your supervisor that you do not have an active telework agreement and requesting clarification of how to code your administrative leave for tomorrow.”
This is a developing story and will be updated
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