Opm orders two-hour start delay for D.C. federal staff as winter advisory takes effect
The Office of Personnel Management initiated a two-hour delayed arrival for federal employees in the Washington, D. C. metro area to allow transportation departments time to clear snow-covered roads; opm also authorized options for unscheduled leave or unscheduled telework for staff. The timing matters because a winter weather advisory covering several jurisdictions overlaps the delay and forecasted winds and temperature swings that will shape Monday’s commute.
Opm decision and Scott Kupor's post on X
OPM put the two-hour start delay in place Sunday afternoon as snow began to fall and stick across the region. OPM Director Scott Kupor communicated the decision in a post on X, urging flexibility for the morning commute and noting that temperatures are warmer than in the previous storm, which lowers—but does not eliminate—concern about serious icing that would require a full office shutdown. Kupor’s message encouraged employees to stay warm and safe while agencies implement the adjusted schedule.
Telework and leave guidance for federal employees
Federal agencies in the D. C. area are open, but employees should plan to arrive no more than two hours later than their normal expected arrival time. Guidance lays out distinct expectations by employee category. Telework employees who are not scheduled to telework but who request unscheduled telework must be prepared either to perform telework, take unscheduled leave, or use other paid time off for the entire workday; weather-and-safety leave will generally not be available to those who do not report to the office.
Remote workers and employees already scheduled to telework are expected to begin their workday on time but may request unscheduled leave if needed; the same general rule applies that weather-and-safety leave is not typically available to telework employees who do not report to the office. Non-telework employees, and telework employees not scheduled to telework who do not request unscheduled telework, have two options: report to the office and receive weather-and-safety leave for up to two hours past their normal arrival time, or request unscheduled leave for the entire workday—weather-and-safety leave is not available to those who choose unscheduled leave.
Emergency employees are expected to report to their worksites on time unless their agencies provide alternate directions. Employees who are on preapproved leave, whether paid or unpaid, or who are using other paid time off such as compensatory time or credit hours will generally be charged for that leave and will not receive weather-and-safety leave even if they request unscheduled leave or other paid time off.
National Weather Service advisory and snowfall projections
The National Weather Service set a winter weather advisory from 5 p. m. Sunday to 10 a. m. Monday for the District of Columbia, Fairfax, Arlington, Falls Church, Alexandria, Prince William, Manassas and Manassas Park. Total snow accumulations of 2 to 4 inches are expected, with localized amounts near 5 inches, and northwest winds gusting between 30 and 40 mph overnight through Monday. Forecasters warned that hazardous and slippery roads will affect the Monday morning commute, and snowfall amounts are expected to be higher in the Baltimore region.
WTOP estimates and Mike Stinneford's timeline
WTOP put local snow totals more broadly between 2 and 6 inches in parts of the D. C. area after a Sunday that began with rain in much of the region. WTOP meteorologist Mike Stinneford forecast the heaviest snow in the evening hours, tapering off after midnight. He noted that conditions should improve on Monday as temperatures rise and begin to melt the snow, but he also raised concerns about the potential for freezing Monday night as temperatures fall again.
Schools, commutes and newsroom notices
School systems across the D. C. metro area also delayed their starts to allow streets to clear and melting to begin. The combined federal guidance and local school decisions aim to blunt early-morning traffic pressure during the most hazardous hours.
A promotional note in the original posting highlighted an ebook sponsored by Carahsoft about high-impact service providers helping government agencies reinvent service delivery. The article carrying the operating-status guidance included a copyright notice and a statement that the Federal News Network website is not intended for users located within the European Economic Area; Jason Miller is listed there as executive editor directing coverage on federal people, policy and programs.
What makes this notable is the interplay of warm daytime temperatures that will encourage rapid melt and gusty northwest winds, combined with the risk of refreezing overnight—conditions that can produce treacherous surfaces at different points in the commute and that explain why agencies issued a limited two-hour delay rather than a full closure.
