A Quick Note: Our New Telework-Accommodation Guide (With Legal Citations)

Hi — Shaun Southworth here.

We rarely send extra emails outside the daily briefing, but this one matters.

Over the past year, we’ve watched agencies reevaluate telework accommodations quickly—sometimes with template language, rushed timelines, and “return to the office” consequences that can put careers at risk. In many cases, people don’t lose because the law is against them. They lose because the record gets messy, the request isn’t framed clearly, the timeline isn’t documented, and the agency’s written rationale goes unanswered.

Recently, EEOC and OPM released new guidance on telework as a disability-related reasonable accommodation. A lot of it is helpful. But in our view, parts of it can also confuse employees or get used in ways that skip over the nuance that actually decides cases: effectiveness, essential functions, undue hardship, documentation scope, and what a good-faith interactive process looks like in the real world.

So we created a practical, employee-friendly guide that mirrors the EEOC/OPM FAQ question numbering—but adds what we respectfully think are some missing pieces:

• plain-English explanations that are still legally grounded,
• what to document (and what not to overshare),
• how to respond to common denial/rescission rationales, and
• case anchors so you can see how these issues are decided when they’re litigated.

We have also corrected some guidance with case support.

Download the guide here: FedLegalHelp.com/Telework

A quick note on what this is (and isn’t): this guide is general educational information, not legal advice for your specific situation. Accommodation law is highly fact-specific, and your deadlines may be short—especially if return-to-office demands are being tied to attendance or performance consequences.

If you’re dealing with any of the high-stakes scenarios we’re seeing more often—telework rescission, threatened AWOL/discipline, disputed “essential functions,” repeated documentation demands, or significant medical/safety risk—getting qualified help early can make the difference between a clean record and a preventable loss. If you want to talk with our team about your specific facts, you can reach us here: https://www.attorneysforfederalemployees.com

One more ask: please share this with any federal employee who might need it—coworkers, friends, family, or your group chat. These situations move fast, and the earlier someone builds a clear record, the better their odds.

With gratitude,
Shaun Southworth
CEO & Attorney, Southworth PC

P.S. Also, if you are getting this email forwarded from someone, we have a free daily newsletter you might want to sign up for at FedLegalHelp.com/newsletter.