• On March 12, 2020, County Executive Marc Elrich announced that starting March 16, County government workers will move to a Telework schedule for employees who can and consider other social distancing and protective measures for employees who have direct contact with the public.
• Refer to question 4 in this section for the Situational Telework policy.

• Employees who are not currently approved to Telework should submit a Situational Telework Application to their Manager as soon as possible. Ensure that all your needed documents are on OneDrive and SharePoint (i.e., Office365) and that you have Outlook access. If you have other secure County systems you need to access, you may need VPN software. Please check with your Department’s IT Manager / Liaison to determine if you will require VPN. You do not need VPN software for access to systems on the County ePortal, such as MCTime. Contact the IT Help Desk at 240-777-2828 for assistance.
• For more details about teleworking, please visit here.

• Not at this point. Employees should check their County voicemails frequently throughout the day.

The following Situational Telework policy is effective immediately for employees whose positions are Telework eligible (“eligible employees”), meaning employees whose work can be effectively performed remotely:

• Eligible employees may Telework with supervisory approval with no limit on Telework days. 
• Probationary employees in Telework-eligible positions are allowed to Telework with supervisory approval.
• Eligible employees who do not have an approved Telework agreement should Apply Online. Contractors should download and sign the Situational Telework Form and submit it to their supervisor. There is no need to complete the online packet or take the online test.
• All employees who are currently teleworking must review the  Telework Guidance during COVID-19.
• Employees with any type of existing Telework agreement (Regular or Situational Form) DO NOT need to apply through the online system at this time.
• Employees who engage in Situational Telework must use the Telework Reason Code when submitting timesheets in MCtime: TELECOVD. (This includes employees who are already approved for the formal Telework Program and work remotely due to COVID-19.) For guidance on how to enter the code, refer to Telework Resources.
• Employees should work with their Supervisors to ensure that they have access to 1) Outlook, 2) all the documents they need on OneDrive and SharePoint, i.e., Office365, 3) agency IT systems and networks as may be necessary, and 4) VPN (if needed). For technology assistance, contact the IT Help Desk at 240-777-2828.

Details for eligible employees:

• If you have a work-issued laptop, you may take it home. 
• A limited number of laptops are available to employees who require them for teleworking. Contact Department of Technology Services.
• If your department is unable to provide you with a laptop, or you have specialized software on your desktop PC, you will be permitted to take your desktop PC and needed accessories home with you for purposes of Telework.
•  Use your personal computers for Telework is currently permitted

Contractors: To help with continuity of operations, Department Hiring Managers may make a determination if your assignment is appropriate for a temporary Telework arrangement. 

Need more information on Teleworking? Visit  Telework  Resources

• All employees who are currently teleworking should review Telework Guidance Under COVID-19.
• Additional training and resource materials can be found at Telework Resources.

• On March 12, 2020, County Executive Marc Elrich announced that the Governor had ordered all public schools, including those in Montgomery County, would be closed March 16 to March 27, 2020.
• If you are approved to Telework you may do so, despite the presence of young children or other persons requiring care and supervision at your Telework location. Also, you may adjust your work hours so that they occur around child/family care responsibilities.  
• If your position is not eligible for Telework or there is not currently enough work available for you, you will be placed on admin leave. Employees on admin lean should be prepared to resume work when requested.

• Follow the guidelines issued to Department Directors on March 13, 2020 via a memo from Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) Andrew Kleine as well as any new guidance issued, such as emails to all employees, contractors and supervisors sent March 14th and March 18th, 2020.   

Many questions have been received regarding “at-risk” individuals. At-risk employees are defined as individuals who:

• Are over 60 years of age; 
• Have a severe underlying chronic medical condition like heart or lung disease or diabetes;
  • Employees must receive OMS verification that they are at risk.  
• Live with a person who has a severe underlying chronic medical condition like heart or lung disease or diabetes.
  • Employees must receive OMS verification that the person they are caring for is at risk.

If you are an at-risk employee and wish to Telework you may do so, subject to supervisory approval. If your position is not eligible for Telework, then you can ask your supervisor to:

• Move you to a less-forward facing position or otherwise ensure adequate social distancing; or
• If accommodation is not possible, you may stay home and use your earned leave (annual, compensatory, sick, personal or PTO) during the time that you are home. Employees who have less than 80 hours of total leave balance will be advanced 10 days of sick leave.  

• You are advised to  use caution when travelling to areas outside of the United States.
• If you are returning to work from a CDC level 2 or level 3 risk country, you must self-quarantine for two weeks. If your position is eligible for Telework, and you feel that you can Telework,  and you do not need to enter County property to obtain items/equipment needed for Telework, then you may Telework if you choose. If you unable to Telework, either due to the absence of necessary items/equipment or because you hold a position that is not eligible for Telework, then you will receive Administrative Leave for the duration of the self-quarantine period. Refer to the question "What should I do if I am directed to self-quarantine?" in the section titled, "If You, a Family Member or Coworker Become Sick."
• For information about when you may return to work, refer to question, "What should I do if I am sick but not diagnosed with COVID-19 and when can I return to work?" in the section titled, "If You, a Family Member or Coworker become Sick."

Effective March 16th, 2020 all employees teleworking shall select the “Telecovd” reason code when completing their time sheets until notified otherwise.

Yes, all employees must enter June 30, 2020 as the telework period end date. Telework agreements are required to be renewed every fiscal year.

Yes, if your supervisor is unable to approve your agreement please send an email to Telework@Montgomermerycountymd.gov.

No, employees with current telework agreements do not need to apply for situational telework.

Contact the Department of Technology Services’ IT Helpdesk at 240-777-2828, Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Note that DTS can facilitate departmental IT clinics specially designed for teleworkers. If interested, ask your supervisor to contact the IT Helpdesk to request an IT clinic for your department, and DTS will tailor the information presented to your department’s teleworkers.

Contact the Department of Technology Services’ IT Helpdesk at 240-777-2828 (available Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.) for assistance, and be sure to keep your supervisor and coworkers informed. If the issue cannot be resolved in a timely manner, you will need to return to your main work location or utilize your own annual leave or compensatory time.

For details, review the VPN FAQs document.

Employees who need VPN to perform their job duties should refer to the VPN Frequently Asked Questions Page.

• Non-essential employees in the Telework Program who are scheduled to telework that day are expected to work at their remote work location.
• Non-essential employees in the Telework Program who are not scheduled to telework  that day are encouraged to telework with the approval of their supervisor. 

• Set daily work completion goals for yourself; at the end of your telework day, provide an update to your supervisor regarding that day’s work accomplishments.
• Mark your calendar in Outlook as “Working Elsewhere” to notify coworkers that you are teleworking.
• Ensure your coworkers know that you are available during your telework day via phone, email, text and/or other means of communication (such as Skype).