WASHINGTON _ The mayor of Washington, D.C., and the governors of the two states surrounding the capital urged the U.S. government on Thursday to keep work-from-home policies in place for federal employees, after the White House released a plan to gradually re-open their offices.
In a letter to the Office of Personnel Management, the leaders asked that the Trump administration "continue to implement broader telework policies for the federal workforce" while the coronavirus pandemic still poses a threat.
"This is a hard balancing act between ensuring the continuation of critical government functions and ensuring the safety and well-being of employees," Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan, a Republican; Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam, a Democrat, and Washington, D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser, a Democrat, wrote.
While virus cases have begun to peak in major metro areas across the country, that is not the case for the nation's capital. Deborah Birx, the White House coronavirus task force coordinator, said Tuesday "we don't see a decline yet" in the region and encouraged residents to keep practicing social distancing.
The White House released guidance on Monday directing federal agencies to begin preparing to return workers to their offices, while aligning their re-opening plans with the states and municipalities where they are located.
The District of Columbia's stay-at-home order is due to expire on May 15. Virginia's policy will remain in place at least until June 10. Maryland has not announced an expiration date for its order.
"We hope the federal telework posture is reflective of our own local operating statuses," the leaders wrote.
