H.R. 977: Support Military Families Act

This bill, called the Support Military Families Act, aims to provide flexibility for federal employees who are spouses of members of the armed forces. The key points of the bill are as follows:

Telework and Remote Work Provisions

Under this bill, federal employees who are married to armed forces members would be allowed to:

• Be exempt from requirements to return to full-time, in-person work.
• Engage in telework or remote work as an alternative to being physically present at their workplace.

Eligibility Criteria

The telework and remote work provisions apply only to those spouses who were eligible for such arrangements before January 20, 2025. This means that only those who had the option to telework previously would be able to take advantage of this legislation.

Reporting Requirements

Within 180 days after the bill is enacted, the Comptroller General of the United States is required to submit a report to specific congressional committees. This report will include:

• The total number of employees who qualify under the provisions of this bill.
• The average distance these employees would have commuted if they were required to work in-person.
• The estimated economic impact of enforcing in-person work on these employees, including costs related to filling positions that may become vacant and overall productivity costs to the federal government.

Definitions

The bill refers to "armed forces" and "civil service" as defined in section 2101 of title 5 of the United States Code, which outlines the different branches of the military and the structure of federal employment.

Overall Impact

The goal of the legislation is to support military families by allowing better work-life balance and flexibility for those who may have to relocate frequently due to military assignments.

Relevant Companies

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