🦽 VA Orders Reviews of Disability-Based Remote Work Accommodations

A new VA memo requires all long-term telework or remote work accommodations for employees with disabilities to undergo stricter oversight—including:

• Annual reviews of open-ended reasonable accommodations (RAs)
• SES-level approval for any RA lasting more than 8 weeks
• A 90-day audit of all RA telework approvals issued since January 1, 2025

VA leadership claims this is about “ensuring accommodations remain necessary,” but advocates and union reps say it’s a thinly veiled push to force disabled workers out of remote roles.

“It’s outrageous,” said an AFGE spokesperson. “A department that employs so many disabled veterans should not be trying to force them out the door.”

Legal experts warn the memo may violate federal disability law by requiring documentation even for obvious and previously validated conditions.

⚠️ What This Means for Local 2328:

• Stewards should prepare for an uptick in accommodation-related grievances.
• Employees with existing RAs may be pressured into reapplying or revalidating.
• Watch for any misuse of this policy to target union members or retaliation cases.

📎 Full article from Government Executive

Internal Veterans Affairs memo shows plan to scrutinize disability work from home accommodations – Government Executive

A department press secretary said the new policy is to ensure reasonable accommodations remain “necessary, reasonable and effective,” while the American…

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