Federal Telework Protection Act: New Proposal Would Strengthen Telework Protections

Federal employees have faced significant changes to telework since the administration moved to rescind existing federal telework agreements in January 2025. Those changes have raised concerns about employee rights, reasonable access to telework, medical privacy, and the status of negotiated workplace protections.

The proposed Federal Telework Protection Act seeks to establish clearer standards for federal telework while strengthening protections for employees who request it.

New Protections for Telework Requests

Under the proposal, federal employees would have the right to request a telework agreement and appeal a denial without fear of retaliation.

The legislation would also allow supervisors to approve temporary telework for urgent medical conditions and directs agencies to give special consideration to employees facing circumstances involving disabilities, medical conditions, caregiving responsibilities, or significant commuting time.

Each federal agency would be required to establish a Telework Office responsible for reviewing denied requests. Appeals would have to be decided within 90 days, and agencies would also be required to make their telework policies publicly available.

The bill includes additional protections for the medical privacy of employees requesting telework for health-related reasons.

Protecting Bargaining Rights

For NAGE-represented employees, the proposal also preserves an important role for collective bargaining agreements and the union representation process.

The legislation would allow employees to pursue arbitration before the Federal Labor Relations Authority when an agency fails to meet its obligations. It also specifically states that it would not supersede existing telework agreements or arbitration rights established under a collective bargaining agreement.

That distinction is important for bargaining-unit employees because telework is not simply an agency policy issue. In many workplaces, telework arrangements and the procedures surrounding them may also involve negotiated rights and protections.

What Comes Next

The Federal Telework Protection Act is proposed legislation and would need to move through Congress before becoming law. As the debate over federal telework continues, the legislation puts several issues affecting federal employees at the center of the conversation, including the ability to request telework, appeal agency decisions, protect medical information, and preserve collectively bargained rights.

NAGE Federal Division will keep members informed as the proposal moves forward and as federal telework policies continue to develop.