Email Page. We are taking a look at that and working with stakeholders to see if there should be some changes., NEXT STORY: Agencies have the authority to establish the local travel area, as long as no part of the area exceeds 50 miles from where the employee regularly performs his or her duties. privacy request at our Do Not Sell page. default settings according to your preference. website. Generally, employees are not entitled to reimbursements for commuting expenses they incur for travel between their homes and their offices or other primary places of business. Agencies should make voluntary relocation decisions carefully, because if the agency later directs the same employee to relocate to the agency worksite, the transfer is likely to be characterized as in the interest of the Government (5 U.S.C. Allowing remote workers homes to become their primary workplaces, especially if theyve moved to another state or country, can also mean additional tax exposure and other new expenses. With this in mind, employers may consider updating some of their policies concerning expenses for permanent WFH employees. Normal commuting expenses remain non-reimbursable. Employers are advised to consult with legal counsel on this issue. // , You may unsubscribe from our mailing list at any time. Under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), tasks performed during var switchTo5x=true; One of the most important steps to remember is to consider local and regional expenses that vary based on distances. Please purchase a SHRM membership before saving bookmarks. ol{list-style-type: decimal;} You will still Even if your company is in a state that does not have reimbursement laws, it's ideal to reimburse anyway, said Robin Samuel, a partner in the Employment Practice Group of Baker McKenzie in Los Angeles. Terms and Conditions Those cookies are set by us and called first-party cookies. When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, many salaried employees around the world started working virtually from home. [CDATA[/* >