Federal Workers Ordered to Leave Offices as Severe Weather Approaches DC

WASHINGTON — The Office of Personnel Management has ordered all federal employees to leave their offices by 3 p.m. ahead of possibly severe storms expected to move through the District of Columbia and surrounding area Monday afternoon and evening.

According to the National Weather Service, severe thunderstorm warnings have already been issued in West Virginia and Western Maryland, and at least one tornado warning has been issued in western Virginia as a large and angry weather system moves eastward toward the D.C. metropolitan area.

Weather Service forecasters are expecting numerous strong-to-severe thunderstorms to rake over a wide area between now and 9 p.m.

Possible hazards include widespread damaging winds, some of which, the Weather Service says, could become “locally destructive in nature.”

Additional, large hail and a few tornadoes are also possible.

Among the events scuttled this afternoon due to a tornado watch now in place until 9 p.m. was the scheduled Back to School Cybersecurity event that First Lady Dr. Jill Biden was to convene at the White House today.

Also shutting down early Monday is the National Press Club, which alerted members by email that it would close at 3:30 p.m. today.

In an announcement posted to its website, the Office of Personnel Management said employees should start leaving their offices immediately and all federal offices in Washington, D.C., would be closed by 3 p.m.

This is the first weather advisory the agency has released since mass telework began in March 2020 at the start of the pandemic.

Telework employees at the office will receive weather and safety leave only for the amount of time required to commute home. Once these employees arrive at home, the agency said, they must complete any remaining portion of the workday by teleworking, taking unscheduled leave (paid or unpaid) or other paid time off, or a combination.

Remote workers are expected to continue working and generally may not receive weather and safety leave. They must account for the entire workday by working, taking unscheduled leave (paid or unpaid) or other paid time off, or a combination.

Non-telework employees at the office will be granted weather and safety leave for the number of hours remaining in their workday.

Dan can be reached at [email protected] and @DanMcCue