Bill Summary
The "Support Military Families Act" is legislation aimed at providing greater work flexibility for federal employees who are spouses of active-duty military personnel. Specifically, it allows these employees to engage in telework or remote work without the requirement to return to in-person work full-time. This exemption applies to those who were already eligible for telework prior to January 20, 2025.
Furthermore, the Act mandates that the Comptroller General of the United States submit a comprehensive report within 180 days of its enactment. This report will detail the number of affected employees, the average commuting distance they would have to travel if required to work in-person, and the potential economic impacts of imposing in-person work requirements on these employees, including costs associated with vacant positions and lost productivity.
Overall, the legislation seeks to support military families by enhancing the work-life balance of spouses who often face unique challenges due to the mobility of military life.
Possible Impacts
The "Support Military Families Act" could have several impacts on individuals and families, particularly those related to federal employment and military service. Here are three examples:
1. **Increased Work-Life Balance for Military Families:**
The Act allows spouses of military members to engage in telework or remote work without the requirement to return to in-person roles. This flexibility can significantly enhance work-life balance for these spouses, who may face frequent relocations due to military assignments. By enabling them to work from home or another location, they can better manage family responsibilities while maintaining their careers.
2. **Retention and Recruitment of Skilled Workers:**
By permitting telework for military spouses, the Act may help federal agencies retain talented employees who might otherwise leave their positions due to the challenges of in-person work, especially during times of relocation. This could lead to higher job satisfaction and reduced turnover rates, ensuring that the government retains skilled workers who contribute to its operations.
3. **Economic Stability for Military Families:**
The ability to telework can provide economic stability for military families, as it allows spouses to continue earning income despite the challenges of frequent moves or deployments. This can reduce the financial strain often faced by military families, leading to improved quality of life and stability. The report required by the Act will also assess the economic impact of mandating in-person work, helping to highlight the benefits of remote work arrangements for these families.
[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 977 Introduced in House (IH)]
<DOC>
119th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 977
To permit Federal employees who are spouses of members of the armed
forces to engage in telework and remote work, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
February 5, 2025
Mr. Vindman (for himself and Mr. Wittman) introduced the following
bill; which was referred to the Committee on Oversight and Government
Reform
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To permit Federal employees who are spouses of members of the armed
forces to engage in telework and remote work, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Support Military Families Act''.
SEC. 2. PERMITTING TELEWORK OR REMOTE WORK FOR FEDERAL EMPLOYEES WHO
ARE MILITARY SPOUSES.
(a) In General.--Notwithstanding any other law, rule, or
regulation, any employee in the executive branch of the Federal
Government who is a spouse of a member of the armed forces--
(1) shall be exempt from any requirement to return to full-
time in-person work; and
(2) may engage in telework or remote work.
(b) Application.--Subsection (a) shall only apply to such a spouse
who, prior to January 20, 2025, was eligible to telework or remote
work.
(c) GAO Report.--Not later than 180 days after the date of the
enactment of this section, the Comptroller General of the United States
shall submit a report, to the Committee on Oversight and Government
Reform of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Homeland
Security and Governmental Affairs of the Senate, and publish such
report on the public website of the Government Accountability Office.
Such report shall include--
(1) the total number of employees described in subsection
(a);
(2) the average distance (in miles) such employees would
commute if required to report to work in-person at their agency
duty station; and
(3) the estimated economic impact of requiring such
employees to perform in-person work, including the estimated
costs of filling positions becoming vacant and lost
productivity costs to the Federal Government.
(d) Definitions.--In this section, the terms ``armed forces'' and
``civil service'' have the meaning given those terms in section 2101 of
title 5, United States Code.
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