Employees of the Department of Veterans Affairs' Veterans Crisis Line have been granted a waiver by the department from President Donald Trump’s return-to-office order for federal employees.
“VCL responders have always been exempt from the return to in-person work requirement,” said VA Spokesman Peter Kasperowicz. "Over 200 VCL supervisors will be allowed to continue remote work as a result of last week’s decision.”
Trump signed a memorandum on Jan. 20 that directed all teleworking and remote work federal employees to return to the office. Kasperowicz said the VA’s policy is to bring as many employees back to the office as space permits.
“VA will make accommodations as needed to ensure employees have enough space to work and will always ensure that veterans’ access to benefits and services remains uninterrupted as employees return to in-person work,” Kasperowicz added.
VCL provides 24/7 support to veterans experiencing mental health emergencies. Veterans in need can call, text, or chat with VCL responders who will help them during their crisis and connect them with the services they need as soon as possible.
“VCL staff will continue assisting veterans as they respond to nearly 3,000 calls per day with an average speed of answer of under 10 seconds,” Kasperowicz said.
Rep. Mark Takano (D-CA), ranking member of the House Veterans Affairs Committee, hailed the decision.
“The Veterans Crisis Line serves as the last line of defense for veterans experiencing suicidal thoughts,” he said. “Any disruption to this service – even for a matter of minutes – can mean the difference between life and death.
"The Administration's blanket return-to-office order showed a shocking disregard for the unique operational needs of this critical service and the vulnerable veterans who depend on it.”
More than 20 percent of VA’s more than 479,000 employees have telework or remote work arrangements.
Reach Julia LeDoux at Julia@connectingvets.com.