Telework, SF-50s, and Locality Pay: What Feds Must Check
For many GS-9 and above federal employees, telework has quietly shifted from a flexibility issue into a pay and compliance issue. OPM’s December 2025 Guide to Telework and Remote Work in the Federal Government makes this clear: where you are officially assigned to work—not just where you log in—drives locality pay, travel rules, and reassignment authority. If that distinction feels technical, it is. And it matters.
Why “Official Worksite” Now Matters More Than Ever
OPM’s updated guidance reframes telework and remote work as management tools, not entitlements. At the center of that framework is the concept of the official worksite. This is the address that appears on the SF-50 and determines locality pay, per diem eligibility, and certain relocation obligations.
The guide draws a practical line that many employees have missed: frequency of required in-person reporting.
The Two-Times-Per-Pay-Period Rule Explained
Here is the rule in plain language. If a telework employee is scheduled to report to the agency worksite at least twice per pay period, the official worksite will usually remain the agency office. In that situation, the SF-50 duty station typically stays unchanged.
If the employee is not scheduled to report in person at least twice per pay period, OPM says the official worksite may need to be the employee’s home or alternate location. When that happens, the SF-50 duty station is supposed to reflect reality.
This is not theoretical. An SF-50 listing Washington, DC while the employee works full-time from Kansas creates a mismatch that can trigger locality pay corrections, audit findings, and travel reimbursement disputes—often discovered after the fact, when fixing it is more painful.
Locality Pay and the Risk of “Retroactive Surprises”
Locality pay is tied to the official worksite, not personal preference or informal arrangements. If the duty station is incorrect, agencies can correct pay prospectively and, in some cases, seek repayment. That is not a conversation any federal employee wants to have unexpectedly.
The takeaway is straightforward: paperwork matters as much as practice.
Remote Work Can Be Ended—and That Has Consequences
The guide is also explicit that remote work agreements may be terminated for performance, operational, or business reasons. Agencies retain authority to issue management-directed reassignments back to an agency worksite. Refusal can place an employee squarely in the adverse-action lane.
Understanding this authority allows employees to assess risk calmly rather than react in crisis.
A Different Lane for Medical or EEO-Based Telework
Telework or remote work granted as a reasonable accommodation under medical or EEO processes follows different legal rules. “Policy” cannot lawfully be used to bypass the accommodation analysis. Employees in this situation should be especially careful not to let routine telework changes bleed into protected accommodation territory.
What to Do Today
Pull the written telework or remote agreement. Open the SF-50. Confirm the duty station address matches actual reporting expectations. Catching a mismatch early preserves peace of mind and prevents avoidable downstream problems.
Legal Disclaimer: The information provided in this article is for informational purposes only and should not be construed as legal advice. While I am a federal employment attorney, this post does not create an attorney-client relationship. Every situation is unique, and legal outcomes depend on specific facts and circumstances.