department of education return to work policy

Department of Education ripped over ‘lax' telework policies

Another federal agency has come under question by lawmakers for permitting its employees to telework.

Last summer, the Department of Education urged workers to return to offices after many of them were sent home to work during the COVID-19 pandemic. Nearly a year later, Republican lawmakers are displeased with the results.

"According to recent reports, U.S. Department of Education employees are still being allowed to work extensively from home, much as they did during the pandemic," wrote Sen. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn., and Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-La., in a letter obtained by Federal Times. "[The department's] lax telework policies are especially concerning given its apparent inability to fulfill its statutory responsibilities."

According to the letter, non-bargaining unit staff must work onsite five days per two-week pay period, up from four days earlier. The lawmakers said it's unclear whether staff are working in person more than that.

US Department of Education to scale back telework for employees

"As Congress begins the process of working through fiscal year 2025 appropriations, we believe it is critical to determine your agency's current telework policies in order to make informed decisions about [Education's] budget," they wrote.

Since the COVID-19 pandemic ended nearly a year ago, Republicans have argued that telework is bad for the taxpayer, citing watchdog reports of empty federal office buildings, staggering backlogs of Social Security claims and federal retirement applications, and concerns about managing remote workforce productivity from afar.

Just this week, conservative lawmakers on the House Oversight Committee interrogated the Office of Management and Budget over lingering telework, and they laid blame on unions for having influence over these policies.

"The administration often speaks of ‘empowering' federal workers and their unions," said Rep. James Comer, R-Ky., committee chair. "Well, they seem to have some muscle. And it's being flexed to resist the limited, belated attempts the administration has made to get government employees back to work."

Unions, including the one representing federal employees at Education, have said they will meet reentry mandates with requests to negotiate when they violate the terms of a bargaining agreement or force a change in working conditions of affected members.

Though the White House told agencies to increase in-person work, lawmakers have said agencies are ignoring the directives, even though OMB Deputy Director Jason Miller testified that half of all federal workers are not even eligible for regular telework.

Return-to-office orders may strain feds over housing cost, report says

"Federal agencies are moving toward a posture where telework-eligible teams are working in-person at the office at least half of the time, on average," he said. "This hybrid approach mirrors the approach adopted by the private sector, which was a key factor for agencies in determining their policies, as agencies must compete with the private sector for talent."

The data backing up those decisions exists, but it's not always comprehensive. News outlets, including Federal Times, have run reader surveys on the telework preferences of employees that show workers are willing to leave an agency if they're called back to work.

Miller told lawmakers the administration has made strides in luring young people to government service; the number of workers under the age of 30 has increased by 13%.

U.S. Department of Education

U.S. Department of Education Announces Return-to-School Road Trip to Spotlight Safe Return to In-Person Learning

EDITOR’S NOTE : On Sept. 20, stops in the “Return to School Road Trip” bus tour were updated. The tour now includes a stop in South Bend, Indiana and no longer includes a stop in Kendallville, Indiana.

On Monday, Sept. 20, U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona will launch the “Return to School Road Trip,” a bus tour to showcase students and communities safely returning to in-person learning. Throughout the tour, Secretary Cardona, Deputy Secretary Cindy Marten, and local school leaders will join students, parents, educators, and school communities for events that highlight schools and communities that have safely welcomed students back to in-person learning.

The “Return to School Road Trip” will feature stops in: Eau Claire, Madison, and Milwaukee, Wisconsin; Palatine and Chicago, Illinois; South Bend, Indiana; Toledo, Ohio; and Mt. Pleasant, Lansing, Detroit, and Canton, Michigan. Secretary Cardona will visit students from pre-kindergarten through higher education, highlighting how students, families, and the educators and staff who serve them across the country are excited and ready for safe in-person learning this fall.

“The best part of fall is welcoming students back for a new school year, and I’m thrilled to be traveling across the Midwest to celebrate the return to safe in-person learning,” said Secretary Cardona. “The return to school this year is more special than ever, after many of our nation’s students have been disconnected from their peers, educators, classrooms, school communities and learning routines for over a year. I’m excited to kick off our Return to School Road Trip next week, where we will meet with students of all ages, dedicated educators and school staff, and community leaders doing critical work to bring students back to in-person learning safely this fall.”

Last month, the Department released its “ Return to School Roadmap, ” a resource to support students, schools, educators, and communities as they prepare to return to safe, healthy in-person learning and emerge from the pandemic stronger than before. The Roadmap includes three “Landmark” priorities that schools, districts, and communities are encouraged to focus on to ensure all students are set up for success in the 2021-2022 school year. These include: (1) prioritizing the health and safety of students, staff, and educators, (2) building school communities and supporting students’ social, emotional, and mental health, and (3) accelerating academic achievement.

Many of the schools and communities featured in the tour have successfully implemented the priorities within the Roadmap and have used federal pandemic relief funds to support these efforts.  

The American Rescue Plan provided more than $130 billion in K-12 emergency relief funds that can be used to support the safe return to in-person learning, including by improving ventilation systems, encouraging vaccinations, performing testing and contact tracing, and using CDC-recommended strategies like universal indoor masking; as well as address the academic, social, emotional and mental health needs of students.

Additionally, the American Rescue Plan provided $40 billion in relief funds to institutions of higher education to provide direct relief to students and support the safe reopening of colleges and universities across the country. The Road Trip will highlight how those resources have enabled communities to bring students back into classrooms where they can reengage with their classmates and teachers, participate in extracurriculars, and access the critical social, emotional, and mental health supports that schools provide. 

In addition to the Roadmap and the passage of the American Rescue Plan, the Biden Administration has taken a series of steps to help schools and communities recover from the pandemic and build back better:

• Prioritizing vaccine access for school staff, by issuing a directive making teachers eligible in March, setting a goal of getting all school staff who wanted the vaccination to be able to get at least one shot in the month of March, and resulting in about 90% of educators vaccinated today.
• Expanding access to the vaccine for young people, by issuing a call to school districts to host on-site, with collaboration from Health and Human Services , pop-up vaccination clinics at schools, in partnership with the federal pharmacy program; and incorporating COVID-19 vaccination into sports physicals for student athletes.
• Requiring staff in Head Start programs, Department of Defense schools, and Bureau of Indian Education-operated schools to be vaccinated.
• Called on all states to adopt vaccine requirements for all school employees.
• Announced a new grant program to provide additional funding to school districts that have been financially penalized for implementing strategies to prevent the spread of COVID-19, such as universal indoor masking.
• Published a  Safer Schools and Best Practices Clearinghouse , which includes over 200 examples of schools and communities safely returning to in-person learning.
• Held a  National Safe School Reopening Summit .
• Providing  $122 billion in support through the American Rescue Plan Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund  for K-12 schools.
• Released over $3 billion in  IDEA funds within the American Rescue Plan to support infants, toddlers, children, and youth with disabilities impacted by the pandemic.
• Released $800 million within the American Rescue Plan to support  students experiencing homelessness who have been disproportionately impacted by the pandemic.
• Awarded nearly  $40 billion in funding for institutions of higher education  within the American Rescue Plan, about half of which will provide direct aid to students at postsecondary institutions.
• Released a report on the disparate impacts of COVID-19 on underserved students.
• Published released Frequently Asked Questions on effectively using American Rescue Plan funding to support evidence-based, full-service community schools and related approaches.
• Collaborated with HHS to Published a resource detailing strategies for using American Rescue Plan funding to improve ventilation systems and indoor air quality in schools.
• Published a resource detailing strategies for using American Rescue Plan funding to address the impact of lost instructional time.
• Launched an  Equity Summit Series focused on addressing school and district inequities that existed before, but were made worse by the pandemic.

Preliminary details about bus tour activities are listed below. Additional information and exact timing for each site will be released the day prior to the tour stop. Many of the events will include a press availability with Secretary Cardona and local leaders.

To RSVP for stops on the tour, please email [email protected] . Follow the bus tour on social media at #BackTogether.

EVENT 1 TOPIC: Return to School pep rally WHEN: Monday morning, Sept. 20 WHERE: Eau Claire, Wisconsin

EVENT 2 TOPIC: Celebrating public service WHEN: Monday afternoon, Sept. 20 WHERE: Madison, Wisconsin

EVENT 3 TOPIC: Celebrating teachers and support staff WHEN: Monday evening, Sept. 20 WHERE: Milwaukee

EVENT 4 TOPIC: Spotlighting academic excellence WHEN: Tuesday morning, Sept. 21 WHERE: Palatine, Illinois

EVENT 5 TOPIC: College access, opportunity, and career development for students WHEN: Tuesday afternoon, Sept. 21 WHERE: Chicago

EVENT 6 TOPIC: K-12 education WHEN: Wednesday morning, Sept. 22 WHERE: South Bend, Indiana

EVENT 7 TOPIC: Youth sports and extracurricular events WHEN: Wednesday afternoon, Sept. 22 WHERE: Toledo, Ohio

EVENT 8 TOPIC: Support for Tribal Colleges and Universities WHEN: Thursday morning, Sept. 23 WHERE: Mt. Pleasant, Michigan

EVENT 9 TOPIC: Early childhood education WHEN: Thursday afternoon, Sept. 23 WHERE: Lansing, Michigan

EVENT 10 TOPIC: Family literacy WHEN: Thursday evening, Sept. 23 WHERE: Detroit

EVENT 11 TOPIC: Return to School visit WHEN: Friday morning, Sept. 24 WHERE: Canton, Michigan

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Return-to-Work Policy

[Company Name] strives to assist employees to return to work at the earliest possible date following an injury or illness. A return-to-work program has several benefits for both the employer and employees by minimizing time lost from work.

This policy is not intended to supersede or modify the procedures applicable to employees eligible for reasonable accommodation under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) or leave benefits under the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA). Inquiries about the ADA or FMLA should be directed to the human resource department (HR).

Eligibility

The policy applies to regular full- and part-time employees who are on leave as a result of injury or illness and who are receiving workers' compensation benefits.

Transitional Work

[Company Name] defines "transitional work" as temporary, modified work assignments within the worker's physical abilities, knowledge and skills.

When possible, transitional positions will be made available to injured workers to minimize or eliminate time lost from work. [Company Name] cannot guarantee a transitional position and is under no obligation to offer, create or encumber any specific position for purposes of offering placement to such a position.

In the event an employee refuses transitional work (outside the employee's FMLA benefits period) and the employee satisfies the restrictions and ability to perform the transitional position, [Company Name] is not obligated to provide an alternative position. In such cases, [Company Name] will notify the insurance carrier of the employee's refusal of the transitional work.

To obtain a transitional assignment the employee must request a return-to-work form and a job description form from HR and provide them to the employee's health care provider for completion.

If the health care provider releases the employee to return to work on modified duty and has completed the return-to-work and job description forms, the employee should return the forms to HR within 24 hours or as soon as practicable. The employee cannot return to work without the release of his or her health care provider.

HR will review the return-to-work form and determine a transitional position for the employee if appropriate and transitional work falls within business needs. A transitional position job description, including physical requirements, will be prepared for review and approval by the employee's health care provider.

Transitional positions are developed based on the physical capability of the worker, the business needs of the company and the availability of transitional work. [Company Name] will determine appropriate work hours, shifts, duration and locations of all work assignments. [Company Name] reserves the right to determine the availability, appropriateness and continuation of all transitional work assignments.

It is the responsibility of the employee to provide HR with a current telephone number and address, so the employee may be contacted. The employee must notify HR immediately of any and all changes in medical conditions.

It is the responsibility of the employee and the employee's supervisor to notify HR immediately of any work-related injuries, if the employee misses time from transitional work or of any changes to transitional work assignments. HR will communicate with the insurance carrier or health care provider as necessary.

Upon completion of the return-to-work form and the health care provider's approval of the transitional position, written notice will be prepared by the employer and mailed to the employee's last known address noting the start date, hours, wage, duration and location of the transitional work assignment. The employee will be asked to sign the notice indicating his or her acceptance or refusal of the transitional work job offer and to return the notice to HR. Copies of the job description, work releases and the offer of a transitional position will be forwarded to the insurance carrier.

Any employee returning to a transitional position must not exceed the duties of the position or go beyond the restrictions indicated by the health care provider. If any medical restrictions change, the employee must immediately notify his or her supervisor and provide the supervisor a copy of the new medical release.

Supervisors will monitor work performance to ensure the employee does not exceed the requirements set by the health care provider.

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Breaking News

Transportation dept. to bring teleworking employees back to offices.

Editor’s note: This story was updated at 1:02 p.m. ET to include comment from the Federal Aviation Administration.

The U.S. Department of Transportation will bring teleworking employees back to offices two days per week this winter, according to a top agency official.

The agency workforce would return on site in a phased approach of three days per biweekly pay period come September, bumping up to four days in December, according to the email sent to staff that was obtained by Federal Times.

“We now seek to establish an optimal long-term operating environment at DoT – one that continues leveraging workplace flexibilities for eligible positions while also promoting meaningful in-person work and collaboration,” said Philip McNamara, assistant secretary for administration in the email.

Reuters reported Wednesday t hat the Federal Aviation Administration, an office within DoT, will have a higher requirement for its employees. The agency confirmed to Federal Times on Friday that as of Oct. 9, the agency will increase in-office presence to at least three days per week.

The Transportation Department joins a growing number of federal agencies that are seeking to increase in-person work and align with the White House’s return-to-work policies. Lawmakers, too, have tried to hasten these efforts by tying in work mandates in 2024 funding bills and pressuring agency heads to report the numbers and locations of remote workers.

In late May, South Carolina Rep. Nancy Mace criticized DoT for having a near-empty building even after the national pandemic emergency declaration ended a few weeks earlier.

Lawmaker proposes firing federal workers who resist return to office

Unions and employees have said they feel insulted by the insinuation that they ever stopped working..

So far, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation , t he Department of Veterans Affairs , Department of Education and Federal Emergency Management Agency have called employees back.

Since the severity of the pandemic lessened, the White House Offices of Management and Budget and Personnel Management have encouraged agencies to maintain flexibility where possibly and review their pandemic-era work arrangements to determine the best way forward.

The agency is “not going back to 2019,” the DoT email said. The department will maintain flexible schedules and leave programs, though employees have said there’s a disconnect between saying that in the same email that announces telework rollbacks.

The agency says the change is consistent with what OMB laid out in its memo directing agencies to increase meaningful in-person work.

DoT employs 55,000 people.

Molly Weisner is a staff reporter for Federal Times where she covers labor, policy and contracting pertaining to the government workforce. She made previous stops at USA Today and McClatchy as a digital producer, and worked at The New York Times as a copy editor. Molly majored in journalism at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

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Disability Employment Policy

The Council of State Governments

Stay at Work/Return to Work

Stay-at-work and return-to-work programs, benefits counseling, and able accounts.

Each year, millions of U.S. workers, many with long job tenures, experience the onset of or a change in a medical condition that challenges their ability to work. Many of these workers are at risk of leaving the labor force, especially if they do not receive timely and effective stay-at-work/return-to-work supports. Staying connected to the workforce has a positive effect on individual and family health and well-being, quality of life and standard of living. Conversely, when workers exit the labor force, federal and state tax revenues are lost, and public programs such as state workers’ compensation programs, Social Security Disability Insurance, Supplemental Security Income, Medicare and Medicaid often foot the bill in terms of income support and health care services.

State Policies Relevant to STAY-AT-WORK AND RETURN-TO-WORK PROGRAMS, BENEFITS COUNSELING, AND ABLE ACCOUNTS

Click on the map above to see the corresponding policies.

ALTERNATE VIEW OF State Policies Relevant to STAY-AT-WORK AND RETURN-TO-WORK PROGRAMS, BENEFITS COUNSELING, AND ABLE ACCOUNTS

Connecticut

North Dakota

Arizona SB 1079

Arkansas H 1404

California S 218

Colorado SB 188

Connecticut H 7032 SB 164

Delaware H 145

Illinois HB 2837 SB 1449

Kentucky HB 204

Maryland H 448 HB 680

Montana HB 288

Nevada AB 128

New Jersey SB 844

New York A 7473

North Dakota SB 2124

Oregon S 1027 HB 2211

Virginia HB 2234

Top of Page

According to research conducted or reviewed by the U.S. Department of Labor Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP) Stay-at-Work/Return-to-Work Collaborative , the following positive outcomes are achievable when workers are able to stay in the labor force or return to work after experiencing illness or injury:

• Workers are able to continue earning money and enjoy the self-esteem and other advantages that come from employment
• Employers can benefit from the experience of long-tenured workers, less money and time spent on hiring new workers and less spent on workers’ compensation benefits and premiums for private disability insurance
• State Governments and the Federal Government can benefit by helping workers and their families retain economic self-sufficiency and quality of life, expanding state economies and fiscal health by increasing tax revenues from wage earners and lowering liabilities for state and federal social welfare and social security programs

In addition to Stay-at-Work/Return-to-Work policies, states are recognizing the importance of helping businesses and individuals with disabilities navigate the complexities of federal and state benefit programs by adopting benefits counseling, adopting earned income tax credits and allowing tax deductions for Achieving a Better Life Experience or ABLE Accounts (tax-advantaged savings accounts for individuals with disabilities).

The 2016 report “Work Matters: A Framework for States on Workforce Development for People with Disabilities” identifies strategies that many states are adopting to implement stay-at-work/return-to-work policies, benefits counseling and ABLE account policies and practices. In December 2018, CSG published the Stay-at-Work/Return-to-Work Toolkit , which provides additional background information, state examples of policy options and best, promising and emerging practices.

To facilitate  stay-at-work/return-to-work policies, benefits counseling and ABLE Accounts, state policymakers may want to consider adopting policy options related to the following:

• State Vocational Rehabilitation Retention Programs
• Public Sector Stay-at-Work/Return-to-Work Programs
• Private Sector Stay-at-Work/Return-to-Work Programs
• Employee Incentive Stay-at-Work/Return-to-Work Programs
• Wellness and Injury Prevention Programs
• Guides to Best Stay-at-Work/Return-to-Work Practices
• Benefits Counseling Programs
• ABLE Account Programs

STATE VR RETENTION PROGRAMS

The federal Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and subsequent updates allow state vocational rehabilitation (VR) agencies to provide job retention (maintenance) services to individuals with disabilities as documented in the state VR plan, even if they are not among the priority groups eligible for services. Services include vocational counseling, specialized assessments, on-site job assessment, identification of accommodations, modifications to work environment, job analysis to identify specific functions of a job, individual employee training regarding use of technology, communication with employees and employer about modified work schedules and transitional work options. Learn More in the Work Matters Framework

Alabama and Arkansas , for example, expanded the provision of retention (maintenance) services for workers with medical conditions by state VR agencies. In 2018, Virginia enacted SB 560 , which requires the Department for Aging and Rehabilitative Services to administer Long Term Employment Support Services and Extended Employment Services to assist individuals with disabilities with maintaining employment.

PUBLIC SECTOR PROGRAMS

Some states, including Delaware , Maryland and West Virginia are recognizing that work disabilities may develop and intervene early through stay-at-work/return-to-work programs for their own employees. For example, West Virginia provides state agency employees with an opportunity to continue as valued members of their respective teams while recovering from an injury or illness. The opportunity may include gradually returning employees to their pre-injury job utilizing transitional duty work during the recovery period, when medically approved.

PRIVATE SECTOR PROGRAMS

A second stay-at-work/return-to-work approach is the provision of private sector employer incentive and grant programs that include wage subsides for returning employees, subsidies and incentives for accommodations, insurance premium discounts and grants for transitional work programs. Washington is a leader in this respect. Learn More in the Work Matters Framework

Profile of State of Washington

Stay-at-work/return-to-work programs succeed by returning injured and ill workers to productive work as soon as medically possible during their recovery process and often provide interim transition work and accommodations as necessary. Washington state offers an example of a stay-at-work/return-to-work program that recognizes the roles of different stakeholders in a workers’ compensation system. The stay-at-work/return-to-work approach includes:

Centers of Occupational Health and Education

• Early Return-to-Work and Vocational Recovery
• Stay-at-Work Program (incentives for the employer of injury)
• Preferred Worker Program (incentives for any hiring employer)

These programs operate within the state workers’ compensation system and are available only to individuals experiencing work-related injuries or illnesses. However, they offer models for how to improve  stay-at-work/return-to-work outcomes for individuals with both occupational and non-occupational injuries and illnesses. Learn more in the Work Matters Framework

Core intervention strategies reflected in these programs include:

• Health Services Coordinators coordinating health service delivery and assisting employers and workers to support the employee in returning to or staying at work
• Training participating healthcare providers in best practices for occupational health, including alternatives to opioids for pain management
• Incentivizing participating healthcare providers to use best practices
• Communicating early with all stakeholders to return the worker to the workplace as soon as possible
• Engaging and activating injured workers to achieve return-to-work outcomes
• Developing and testing best practices for vocational professionals to reduce work disability
• Workplace-based interventions (including accommodations such as lighter and/or modified duties, as well as adjustments to work schedules, tasks and the physical worksite, if necessary, including transitional work)
• Providing risk management consultation for employers to understand the financial benefits of return-to-work
• Retraining/rehabilitation for workers who can no longer perform their prior job or other available suitable alternate work
• Tracking and monitoring the medical and employment progress of participating workers

  The Washington State Department of Labor and Industries funds the Centers of Occupational Health and Education (COHE), which provide guidance for medical providers to apply occupational health best practices for individuals with work-related health conditions. There are six centers across the State of Washington, most of them housed in large medical systems. Each center recruits and trains healthcare providers in its area. Some treat large numbers of workers’ compensation patients. COHE began as a small pilot in two regions and has grown to include about 3,500 healthcare providers who initiate more than half of all workers’ compensation claims for Washington’s state fund. Injured workers effectively choose whether to use COHE services by receiving their care from a center-affiliated provider.

Healthcare providers affiliated with COHE receive training in four specific occupational health best practices to use with workers’ compensation patients who are at risk of labor force separation due to their illness or injury. Best practices include:

• Submitting timely and complete forms for initiation of a claim and a complete report of accident in two business days or less
• Developing an activity plan, which communicates the worker’s ability to participate in work activities, activity restrictions and the provider’s treatment plans
• Communicating directly with  center staff and employers when injured workers are off, are expected to be off work or have restrictions
• Assessing the injured worker’s barriers to return-to-work and partnering on a plan to overcome them with the Washington State Department of Labor & Industries’ claim managers and others

Health Service Coordinators are integral to the success of the Centers of Occupational Health & Education model. Coordinators work directly with injured workers, employers, healthcare providers and other program participants to coordinate care for injured workers. They monitor real-time data on all center cases and identify cases that are at risk of long-term disability. For cases needing assistance, they frequently contact injured workers, employers, providers and workers’ compensation agency staff to facilitate additional resources needed to support the  return-to-work process

Stay-at-Work Program

Washington’s Stay-at-Work Program is a financial incentive program modeled after Oregon’s programs, which encourage employers to bring their injured workers back to light-duty or transitional work quickly and safely. These programs reimburse a portion of the employer’s expenses. Eligible employers may be reimbursed for 50 percent of the base wages paid to the injured worker and may be reimbursed for some of the cost of training, tools, or clothing the worker needs to do the light-duty or transitional work.

The Stay-at-Work Program covers 50% of the injured worker’s base wages for the light-duty or transitional work for up to $10,000 and 66 days in which work was actually performed (fewer than eight hours still counts as one day). This applies per claim within a consecutive 24-month period.

The program also covers some expenses. If the employer must make a purchase so the worker can perform the light-duty or transitional work, the Stay-at-Work Program may pay for training fees or materials up to $1,000 per claim, tools up to $2,500 per claim and clothing up to $400 per claim.

Preferred Worker Program

The Preferred Worker Program is another return-to-work incentive program administered by the Washington State Department of Labor and Industries Department staff may certify a worker with permanent medical restrictions that are barriers to employment as a “preferred worker.” This certification enables any employer to receive financial incentives when they hire the worker for a medically-approved, long-term job.

The employer may receive:

• Financial protection against subsequent claims
• Premium relief
• Incentive payment for continuous employment, and reimbursements similar to the Stay-at-Work Program for 50% of the base wages paid to the preferred worker and some of the cost of tools, clothing and equipment the worker needs to do the job

In addition to reimbursements for tools/equipment under the Stay-at-Work and Preferred Worker Programs, employers can be reimbursed for the cost of modifying a job to address an injured worker’s restrictions.

Other state examples include:

• Connecticut and Illinois , which have expanded workers compensation coverage
• Oregon , which pays wage subsidies for returning injured or ill employees to transition or partial return-to-work
• Oregon , Montana and Texas, which provide subsidies and incentives for accommodations. Employers in Texas, for example, may be eligible for reimbursement or an advance under the Return-to-Work Reimbursement Program for the cost of providing workplace modifications to facilitate an injured employee’s return to modified or alternative work following an injury. See DWC Form-008, Return-to-Work Reimbursement Program for Employers .
• Ohio and North Dakota , which provide insurance premium discounts based on successful return to work
• Ohio , which provides transitional work grants to help employers develop transitional work programs

EMPLOYEE INCENTIVE PROGRAMS

A third  stay-at-work/return-to-work approach is to encourage workers to take advantage of partial return-to-work opportunities by implementing trial periods to minimize employees’ risk of losing workers’ compensation benefits. States that have taken this approach include Maine , North Dakota and Rhode Island . For example, Rhode Island’s Temporary Disability Insurance program includes a partial return-to-work plan that provides benefits to encourage workers to return to their jobs sooner than they might have otherwise. Learn more in the Work Matters Framework

WELLNESS AND INJURY PREVENTION PROGRAMS

Wellness and injury prevention programs are another policy option for states. Several state Workers’ Compensation programs include incentives to encourage employers to adopt workplace safety programs and illness and injury prevention programs. Incentives include allowing premium adjustments, prospective credits, or premium discounts. Colorado , Massachusetts and North Dakota all have examples of state incentive policies. Learn more in the Work Matters Framework

North Dakota Workforce Safety & Insurance , for example, offers the following Safety Incentive Programs: Safety Management Program  and Safety Action Menu .  The  Safety Management Program assists employers in developing or improving current safety management systems. Employers who successfully participate in the program can receive a premium discount of 10 percent. The  Safety Action Menu program provides employers with options that allow them to choose and implement safety improvement programs that meet their business needs. Employers can receive up to a 15 percent premium discount by successfully participating in the  menu programs. Each individual  Safety Action Menu program can provide a 5 percent discount up to a maximum of 15 percent. Employers are encouraged to enroll in both the  Safety Management Program and  Safety Action Menu as the discounts of each program can be combined in the same premium period for a maximum discount of 25 percent. Note that employers who wish to enroll in  either program must submit an application before the beginning of their premium period.

The  Safety Management Program assists employers in developing or improving current safety management systems. Employers who successfully participate in the program can receive a premium discount of 10%.

The  Safety Action Menu program provides employers with options that allow them to choose and implement safety improvement programs that meet their business needs. Employers can receive up to a 15% premium discount by successfully participating in the menu programs. Each individual Safety Action Menu program can provide a 5% discount up to a maximum of 15%.

Employers are encouraged to enroll in both the Safety Management Program and Safety Action Menu, as the discounts of each program can be combined in the same premium period for a maximum discount of 25%. Note that employers who wish to enroll in either program must submit an application before the beginning of their premium period.

The Risk Management Workers Compensation Program Premium Reduction Program has been designed to reflect loss control practices that reduce the state’s exposure to work injuries. The program focuses on adopting practices that justify discounts by reducing the frequency and severity of worker compensation claims involving state employees.

GUIDES TO BEST PRACTICES

State agencies around the country have developed policy guides that describe best practices for designing, implementing and evaluating  stay-at-work/return-to-work programs. These state agencies also provide outreach, education and technical assistance to employers and other stakeholders. Learn more in the Work Matters Framework

Below are links to guides developed by a sampling of states:

• West Virginia

State policymakers can enhance their working knowledge of best practices by reviewing these guides. Below is a summary of some of the best practices identified in the guides.

• Ensure commitment from top management.
• Develop a written policy and procedure for returning injured workers to the workplace. This information should be part of the employer’s new employee orientation, so all employees know what to do if an injury occurs.
• Designate a return-to-work lead and implementation team. Ideally, this person would accompany an injured worker to the initial doctor’s visit and support the injured worker through the return-to-work process.
• Establish stay-at-work/return-to-work committees responsible for developing individual stay-at-work/return-to-work plans.
• Train supervisors and managers on the stay-at-work/return-to-work process.
• Inform employees of their rights and responsibilities in the process and provide relevant training, making sure employees know how stay-at-work/return-to-work benefits them.
• Establish a strong safety program (prevention).
• Write job descriptions for all positions, including specific delineation of essential and nonessential functions.
• Research and evaluate possible accommodations. For example, select a reasonable accommodation that would allow an employee to stay at his or her original job or reassign the employee to a vacant position in a job the employee is qualified to perform and provide reasonable accommodations, if needed.
• Develop transitional return-to-work opportunities, routinely assess stay-at-work/return-to-work assignments and make adjustments to conform to the inured worker’s abilities, as medically released.
• Be prepared to act quickly if an injury occurs.
• Report injuries to the return-to-work lead in a timely fashion.
• Provide union representatives with information about the purposes of the stay-at-work/return-to-work program and, where appropriate, include the union in the development and implementation of the program.
• Implement and monitor the accommodations program.
• Clearly define the roles and responsibilities of all stakeholders.

BENEFITS COUNSELING

States may want to consider helping businesses and individuals with disabilities navigate the complexities of benefits. Learn more in the Work Matters Framework

Note: The federal Work Incentives Planning and Assistance grants provide states with resources that enable people with disabilities to know their options for maintaining SSI and SSDI benefits while working. The Social Security Administration has awarded 95 cooperative agreements throughout every state, the District of Columbia and the U.S. territories of American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands.

Examples in action

Some states, including Arizona, Ohio, Oregon, Texas, Virginia and Wisconsin provide a state funding source (vocational rehabilitation agency or general fund) to expand benefits and counseling to include individuals who currently are not on the SSI or SSDI rolls but are considering whether to apply for benefits or receive employment-related services and supports and choose to work. Other states use vocational rehabilitation funds to pay for benefits counselors .

ABLE ACCOUNTS

States may want to explore opportunities to supplement existing financial incentives to target disability employment supports.

Suggested Strategies :

• Adopt a state earned income tax credit to increase income supports for low-income workers with disabilities.
• Adapt state earned income tax credits to reduce the age from 25 to 18 and enhance the credit for single filers who are Social Security beneficiaries with disabilities.
• Allow tax deductions for a percentage of contributions to state ABLE accounts.

ABLE National Resource Center provides a comprehensive source of information about state-related ABLE programs and activities .

The Council of State Governments Stay-At-Work/ Return-to-Work Webinar was held on Friday February 15 th , 2019 from 10am-11am. The webinar focused on  how policy makers can use the CSG  SAW/RTW Toolkit  as a resource to initiate the development of state policy frameworks aimed at assisting workers in transitioning back to or staying at work following disability or injury incurred on the job. The panelists included Dr. Chris McLaren from the Department of Labor’s Office of Disability Employment Policy, Senator Becky Massey from Tennessee, Maryland’s Delegate Sheree Sample-Hughes, Beth Kuhn from the Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services, and Mr. Bobby Silverstein of Powers, Pyles, Sutter & Verville.

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After a return-to-office, DOJ employee groups call for more flexibility

For DOJ employees, a recent return-to-office survey shows a clear difference in employee retention between those who can telework, and those who can’t.

Several months after initiating return-to-office plans, the Department of Justice is facing questions from its employees about the long-term impacts of a decrease to telework options.

In January this year, much of DOJ began working in person more often , with most employees now up to six in-office days per pay period — or about three days per week. But for DOJ’s assistant U.S. attorneys (AUSAs), a handful of offices are creating even stricter return-to-office policies.

Even though about 70% of AUSAs currently have two days per week of telework, that’s not the case for everyone, since telework policies are up to individual offices. DOJ’s Northern and Central District of California offices, for instance, recently decreased telework levels further for AUSAs.

And there’s a clear difference in employee satisfaction between those who have telework options available and those who don’t, the National Association of Assistant U.S. Attorneys (NAAUSA) found in a recent survey of about 500 AUSAs across the country.

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“Most offices are following the recommendation of AUSAs to keep that two day a week option in place,” NAAUSA Vice President Adam Hanna said in an interview. “The places that have eliminated routine telework have seen a workforce revolt against it.”

Notably, 81% of NAAUSA survey respondents from the Northern California office — where there’s no longer routine telework available for AUSAs — said they are already looking for another job. By comparison, 42% of respondents at the Central District AUSA office, which offers one day of telework per week, said they’re looking for another job.

“This is just a huge red flag,” Hanna said. “It ought to really get the attention of department leadership because of the recruitment and retention challenges that it forecasts.”

The responsibilities of AUSAs do require regularly working in the office, Hanna said, but he added that it shouldn’t result a full stop on telework opportunities when they’re possible. And at least some level of telework could go a long way for recruitment and retention at the department, Hanna said.

“We need folks who have gone to great law schools, who have worked hard, who have done clerkships. We need a diverse pool of talent,” Hanna said. “[Without telework] we’re going to have trouble keeping a high-performing, diverse workforce in U.S. attorneys offices, and that’s the worst possible thing that can happen in our community.”

A majority of NAAUSA survey respondents said they’re at least somewhat satisfied with their current telework policy. But at the same time, the results showed that about half of AUSAs would consider leaving their position if they saw a more restrictive telework policy.

“There are going to be times that you have to do things in person — people understand that they’re professionals, and they’re expected to meet the requirements of their job.” Hanna said. “It was understood that we have demanding jobs requiring us to be in the office very regularly, but AUSAs across the country just came to really appreciate the flexibility and balance that some amount of routine telework brought to their lives.”

In light of the survey results, NAAUSA sent a letter to DOJ leadership last week, requesting a consistent, across-the-board telework policy for AUSAs. The employee organization is recommending two days per week as a baseline.

         Read more: Workforce

“We believe the evidence we have collected validates our recommendation that [DOJ] establish minimum baseline policies for workforce flexibility,” the April 22 letter, shared with Federal News Network, said. “We have never heard from an AUSA that they have any issue showing up in court or the office when necessary. But we have consistently heard AUSAs want to be treated like responsible professionals and allowed simple flexibilities, such as being permitted to alter scheduled telework days where it would not otherwise conflict with the needs of the office.”

A DOJ spokesperson told Federal News Network that the department has received the letter and is currently reviewing it.

Employee groups call for return-to-office review

More broadly, four other DOJ employee organizations are calling on agency leadership to try to minimize what they said are “harmful” return-to-office impacts on recruitment, retention, productivity, diversity, inclusion and office culture.

In a letter to Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco, the DOJ Gender Equality Network (DOJ GEN), DOJ Association of Black Attorneys, DOJ Association of Hispanic Employees for Advancement and Development, and DOJ Muslim Americans in Public Service expressed concerns about the agency’s requirement of six in-person days per pay period.

“The DOJ requirement … is more burdensome than more than 20 other departments and agencies in the National Capital Region,” the employee coalition said in its April 29 letter, shared with Federal News Network.

Decreasing DOJ components’ ability to provide flexible work options could worsen staff attrition, the employee groups said, as well as the ability for agencies to recruit more diverse candidates from underserved communities. That also comes in contrast with the sweeping diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility (DEIA) goals from the Biden administration .

A DOJ spokesperson said the department is also currently reviewing the April 29 letter, and did not have a further response at the time of publication.

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The employees groups also pointed to a 2023 report from DOJ’s inspector general office, which described potential return-to-office fallouts, saying DOJ will face the challenge of retaining workers as a result.

In fact, the OIG report said, even before the return-to-office announcement, 26% of DOJ respondents to the Federal Employees Viewpoint Survey (FEVS) disagreed that DOJ’s re-entry arrangements fairly accounted for employees’ diverse needs and situations.

“The department and its components face the challenge of fairly implementing the new in-person work policy’s exceptions and attempting to ensure that employees have a ‘meaningful’ in-person work experience,” the OIG report said. “Another challenge will be carefully monitoring the effect of the new in-person work policy on employee retention, productivity and morale.”

Since the in-person requirements are already in effect, the groups are now asking DOJ leadership to collect deeper employee data, then evaluate that data and consider making changes in the next several months.

Specifically, the employee groups are urging DOJ leadership to track recruitment and retention data by demographics; ask about the impact of in-person requirements during exit interviews; and survey employees on how they feel about the return-to-office requirements.

In the meantime, the groups also asked leadership to encourage DOJ components to offer other benefits, such as flexible work schedules.

“The department faces real risks in its ability to meet its mission if DOJ employees leave the department as a result of [increased in-person work]. Already, we know of multiple employees who have worked for the department for decades who have transferred to other agencies that offer greater flexibilities,” the letter said. “From our experience working in DOJ, we have observed that truly strengthening our team cultures is accomplished not simply by sitting in physical proximity to one another — but instead by focusing on the needs that each employee and team has.”

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Nebraska Association of Public Employees

Remote Work Policies Update

On May 24, 2021, Governor Ricketts issued Executive Order 21-05, which ordered state code agencies to return to normal in-person operations immediately. This included directing state employees working from home to reduce workforce density due to the COVID-19 pandemic to return to offices in person.

Many agencies revised their “Remote Work” policies in response to the pandemic. Some agency policies are quite flexible, while others are particularly rigid. Before a new policy can take effect, it must be shared with NAPE seven days prior to its implementation.

Under Nebraska law, the state must meet with the union to negotiate “mandatory subjects of bargaining.” The Nebraska Supreme Court has determined that a mandatory subject of bargaining is any subject that is of fundamental, basic, or essential concern to an employee’s financial or personal concern involving working conditions.

NAPE sent a demand to bargain to the state’s chief negotiator on May 24, 2021. After working with the state’s chief negotiator regarding policy concerns over the summer months, NAPE asked for a formal response on whether the state would bargain with us over remote work policies. The state declined to do so, leaving our union to evaluate its options.

In order to challenge the state’s decision not to negotiate, NAPE would need to file a prohibited practice charge with the Nebraska Commission on Industrial Relations. The Commission would hold a hearing to determine if the law was violated, and then it would issue an order. Either party then has a right to appeal the Commission’s decision to the Nebraska Supreme Court.

The NAPE Board of Directors met to evaluate our options. Because the CIR process and potential appeal could drag on for more than a year, the Board decided that it was not worth our effort to challenge the decision at this time. Instead, we will enter contract negotiations in 2022, where we can make remote work policies a part of our negotiations platform if delegates to our 2022 bargaining conference determine they should be a priority.

In the meantime, employees who are currently working remotely and have an approved ADA accommodation, will continue to work under the terms of the approved accommodation. If you would like to work remotely, follow your agency policy to request a remote work assignment. Always make your request in writing.

If you have specific concerns or requests, e-mail your supervisor to make the request or seek clarification. If you aren’t sure what steps to take, contact NAPE . NAPE members have access to our professional staff to provide guidance and advice.

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Injury management

• Rehabilitation coordinator resources
• Injury management FAQs
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• Injury management resources Currently selected

Injury management resources

Fact sheets.

The following fact sheets provide information and advice on managing a broad range of injury management topics.

• Claims for sick leave
• Claims for workers' compensation
• Early intervention program
• Early intervention program case study – mental health
• Funding graduated return to work programs
• Funding reasonable adjustments (DOCX, 352KB)
• Identifying stress
• Modification or removal of a notice of further consideration (health reasons)
• Practical strategies for minimising voice strain
• QSuper income protection benefits (PDF, 706KB)
• QSuper disability benefits (PDF, 705KB)
• Reasonable adjustments—information for employees (DOCX, 343KB)
• Reasonable adjustment for pregnancy (DOCX, 340KB)
• Recording incidents in MyHR WHS for WorkCover claims
• Rehab allocation guidelines
• Rehabilitation and return to work coordinators
• Release of information by WorkCover to employers
• Response to psychological injury claim checklist
• Suitable duties programs
• Witness statement guidelines for WorkCover claims
• WorkCover psychological injury claims

Rehabilitation forms

The following forms are for use during rehabilitation case management.

• CM02(b)—initial interview form (DOCX, 445KB)
• CM03—personal details summary (DOCX, 389KB)
• CM04—medical authority form (DOCX, 450KB)
• CM05—case note form (DOCX, 450KB)
• CM06—introduction to doctor (DOCX, 151KB)
• CM07—rehabilitation plan (DOCX, 146KB)
• Return to work plan
• CM12—return to work timesheet (DOCX, 343KB)
• CM17—medical clearance (DOCX, 380KB)

Note: Find the latest work capabilities checklists on the rehabilitation coordinator resources page .

WorkCover forms

• Online claim form
• Word version of claim form (DOCX, 97KB)

QSuper forms

• Income protection benefit guide (PDF, 706KB)
• Permanent disability benefit guide (PDF, 705KB)

Department of Education forms

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Work Health and Safety (WHS)

Changes since previous update.

Changes since previous version

2019 Oct 28 - updated links in section 3.4.

Document history

Minor text and style changes and updated contact details. Updated regulation - Work Health and Safety Regulation 2017 replaces Work Health and Safety Regulation 2011.

TAFE NSW is no longer a part of the Department of Education however this policy and the accompanying implementation website apply to both the department and TAFE NSW.

Superseded documents

Occupational Health and Safety Policy PD/2004/0007/V02 Occupational Health and Safety Policy poster, approved by Martin Bowles, DDG (Corporate Services) with effect from 31 August 2006 Occupational Health and Safety Consultation Policy PD/2005/0260 First Aid Policy PD/2005/0247 Emergency Planning and Response Policy PD/2005/0250 Infection Control Policy PD/2005/0257 Prevention of Bullying in the Workplace Policy PD/2005/0246 Occupational Health and Safety Risk Management Policy PD/2005/0256 Safe Working Policy PD/2005/0248 Workplace Health and Injury Management Policy PD/2005/0258.

• providing everyone in its workplaces with a safe and healthy working and learning environment
• promoting dignity and respect in all workplaces and taking action to prevent and respond to bullying in its workplaces
• adopting a preventative and strategic approach to health and safety and using measurable objectives and targets to monitor performance
• supporting and promoting health and wellbeing
• providing a return to work program that facilitates safe and durable recovery at work for employees, where possible, for both work related and non-work related health conditions
• meaningful consultation with employees, their representatives and others on work health and safety (WHS) issues
• providing appropriate information, training and instruction to facilitate safe and productive work and learning environments
• providing an effective and accessible safety management system for all employees and others to guide safe working and learning in all workplaces
• the reporting of incidents in accordance with statutory and regulatory obligations and internal policy requirements so that action can be taken to manage the incident, prevent further incidents, and provide support where required
• providing a program of continuous improvement through engaging with industry, new technology and considering changes to legislation and recognised standards.
• All employees of the department and others undertaking work (for example contractors or volunteers), and students and visitors while in departmental workplaces or participating in authorised departmental activities.
• Through the provision of procedures, guidelines and other resources the department is able to provide safe workplaces for employees and others undertaking work, including students and visitors.
• Everyone in the department's workplaces has a responsibility for health and safety under the Work Health and Safety Act 2011. While the department has the primary duty of care, all employees have responsibilities while undertaking their duties to follow reasonable instructions and lawful directions in accordance with the department's policy and procedures. All instructions and directions should be carried out so far as they are reasonably able; this will assist in preventing harm to themselves and others.
• This policy is consistent with, and should be read in conjunction with, all departmental policies and procedures related to work health and safety.
• Work Health and Safety Act 2011 ,
• Work Health and Safety Regulation 2017 ,
• Workers Compensation Act 1987 ,
• Workplace Injury Management and Workers' Compensation Act 1998 ,
• Workplace Injury Management and Workers' Compensation Regulation 2002
• And all relevant codes of practice.
• The Secretary will ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, the health and safety of employees, others undertaking work and others in departmental workplaces, by ensuring that appropriate systems are in place, responsibilities appropriately defined and managers and supervisors receive the training and resources they need to carry out their WHS responsibilities.
• Senior executive of the department deemed to be officers under the Work Health and Safety Act 2011, have a positive duty of care to exercise due diligence, as defined in Section 27(5) of the Act, in ensuring that the department complies with its duty under the legislation.
• this policy is implemented in their area of control
• safe systems of work and WHS procedures and guidelines are implemented locally, risks are managed so far as is reasonably practicable and that they strive for continuous safety improvement
• employees and others undertaking work are supervised and receive the instruction, information and training necessary to safely perform their duties
• meaningful consultation takes place with employees, their representatives and others on WHS issues
• workplace incidents are reported and investigated to ascertain the circumstances leading up to the incident, and appropriate action is taken to prevent further incidents from occurring
• effective emergency response plans and procedures are in place which include the provision of first aid and actions to support the resumption of normal operations
• audit and other compliance requirements are complied with and appropriate document management processes are in each workplace
• employees with injury or illness are managed in accordance with the department's Return to Work Program and other relevant guidelines Where workplace managers are unable to ensure any of these provisions they should escalate them for appropriate action and support.
• take reasonable care for the health and safety of themselves and those under their supervision, and take reasonable care that their acts or omissions do not adversely affect the health and safety of others
• comply with any reasonable instruction or lawful direction as far as they are reasonably able, including wearing personal protective equipment supplied by the employer as required
• cooperate in following the department's health and safety guidelines and procedures
• report incidents and hazards, and participate in training and consultation with the support of the department
• meet their obligations under the recovery at work program and other guidelines to support their return to the workplace following injury or illness.
• take reasonable care of their own health and safety, and that their acts or omissions do not adversely affect the health and safety of others
• report health and safety issues and participate in consultation in work health and safety matters affecting them
• follow local procedures in relation to work health and safety.
• The Executive Director, Health and Safety monitors the implementation of this policy, regularly reviews its contents to ensure relevance and accuracy, and updates it as needed.
• Contact Executive Director, Health and Safety 02 7814 1601

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• Retaining Employment and Talent After Injury/Illness Network (RETAIN)

Injuries and Illnesses Can Make Workers Leave the Labor Force

Each year, millions of American workers experience an injury or illness that puts them at risk of leaving the workforce. Many injuries and illnesses are work-related; however, many also occur off-the-job. Tracking the number of off-the-job injuries and illnesses is challenging, but estimates suggest that there are many more off-the-job incidents requiring medical attention than work-related incidents.

When workers leave the labor force because of an illness or injury, it can have any number of negative impacts – for the workers, their families, their employers, and for the economy. Workers experience adverse effects on their health, family finances, and quality of life. Employers shoulder the direct and indirect costs that come with the loss of valuable employees. And all levels of government face reductions in the tax base, decreased economic activity, and hundreds of thousands of these workers go on to receive state or federal disability benefits.

Effective Help Can Keep Injured Workers on the Job

However, many injured or ill workers could remain in their jobs or the workforce if they received timely, effective help. Early stay-at-work/return-to-work (SAW/RTW) strategies and programs succeed by returning injured workers to productivity as soon as medically possible during their recovery process. Since 2013, ODEP has invested resources to research this topic area, shine a spotlight on promising and successful strategies, and launch its largest ever demonstration project—RETAIN. Explore these past and current efforts on this section of the website, and contact us at [email protected] with questions or comments.

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Policies for All

Chancellor's regulations.

The New York City Department of Education's Chancellor's Regulations are divided into four sections: Volume A covers student-related issues, Volume B covers schools-based budgeting, Volume C addresses employee issues and Volume D addresses parent and community involvement.

Data Privacy and Security Policies

The DOE has several regulations and policies concerning data privacy and security.

Internet Acceptable Use Policy

The Internet Acceptable Use Policy, or IAUSP, governs all electronic activity of users using and accessing the NYCDOE's internet systems.

Non-Discrimination Policy

Read the Non-Discrimination Policy of the New York City Department of Education.

Language Access Policy

This plan ensures the provision of appropriate translation and interpretation services for limited English proficient parents in accordance with Chancellor’s Regulation A-663.

Promotion Policy

Learn about how students move to the next grade.

Diversity and Inclusion Policy

The Diversity and Inclusion Policy demonstrates the DOE’s commitment to continue advancing diversity and inclusion throughout the agency.

Human resources

Work Requirements — Teachers

• Introduction
• Allocation of teacher work
• Teacher work grievances
• Further assistance

Management of Teacher Work Guide

These Guidelines (last updated 23 August 2022) contain the following chapters:

• Teaching and learning focus
• Allocation of organisational duties
• Other factors
• Voluntary or discretionary effort
• First year teachers
• Mentors of first year teachers

Reviewed 14 September 2022

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Policy and Guidelines

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NSF-led National AI Research Resource Pilot awards first round access to 35 projects in partnership with DOE

The U.S. National Science Foundation and the Department of Energy are thrilled to announce the first 35 projects that will be supported with computational time through the National Artificial Intelligence Research Resource (NAIRR) Pilot, marking a significant milestone in fostering responsible AI research across the nation.

"Today marks a pivotal moment in the advancement of AI research as we announce the first round of NAIRR pilot projects. The NAIRR pilot, fueled by the need to advance responsible AI research and broaden access to cutting-edge resources needed for AI research, symbolizes a firm stride towards democratizing access to vital AI tools across the talented communities in all corners of our country," said NSF Director Sethuraman Panchanathan. "While this is only the first step in our NAIRR efforts, we plan to rapidly expand our partnerships and secure the level of investments needed to realize the NAIRR vision and unlock the full potential of AI for the benefit of humanity and society."

The NAIRR Pilot — a result of President Joe Biden's landmark Executive Order on the Safe, Secure and Trustworthy Development and Use of AI — will provide AI researchers and students access to key AI resources and data. Twenty-seven projects will be supported through resources on NSF-funded advanced computing systems, including Delta at the National Center for Supercomputing Applications at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign; Frontera and Lonestar at the Texas Advanced Computing Center at The University of Texas at Austin; and the Neocortex system at the Pittsburgh Supercomputing Center, a joint center of Carnegie Mellon University and the University of Pittsburgh . An additional eight projects will have access to DOE-supported systems, including the Summit supercomputer at Oak Ridge National Laboratory and the AI Testbed at Argonne National Laboratory.

"Under President Biden's leadership, we are expanding access to critical data and compute so that more and more people can benefit from responsible AI technology," said Assistant to the President for Science and Technology and Director of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy Arati Prabhakar. "NAIRR will advance research to develop trustworthy technology that strengthens our values and helps us overcome the great challenges of our times."

Projects granted computing allocations in this initial round encompass a diverse range of AI-related areas, including investigations into language model safety and security, privacy and federated models, and privacy-preserving synthetic data generation. Other projects also focus on domain-specific research, such as using AI and satellite imagery to map permafrost disturbances, developing a foundation model for aquatic sciences, securing medical imaging data and using AI for agricultural pest identification.

"DOE Office of Science has decades of experience in cutting-edge AI research and a longstanding commitment to developing world-leading high performance computing resources that are open to the scientific community," said Harriet Kung, acting director of the DOE Office of Science. "We are proud to continue our mission by providing valuable access to some of the fastest computing facilities in the world to the NAIRR Pilot. Innovations developed in collaboration with industry partners are designed to address not only traditional scientific workloads but also the growing demands of AI research at scale. We are excited to see what the future holds for AI in science."

In tandem with the announcement of initial awards, the NAIRR Pilot opened the next opportunity for researchers and educators to apply for access to resources that support AI research, including advanced computing systems; cloud computing platforms; access to foundation models, software and privacy enhancing technology tools, collaborations to train models; and education platforms. This opportunity includes cutting-edge resources contributed by the pilot's nongovernmental partners, including Microsoft, Amazon Web Services, NVIDIA, SambaNova Systems, Cerebras, OpenAI, Anthropic, Groq, EleutherAI, OpenMined, Hugging Face and Vocareum.

In addition, the research community will have the opportunity to access resources from additional NSF advanced computing platforms at the Pittsburgh Supercomputing Center, the National Center for Supercomputer Applications at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, the San Diego Supercomputer Center at the University of California San Diego and the Texas Advanced Computing Center at The University of Texas at Austin, as well as systems at Purdue University, Indiana University and Texas A&M University.

The second opportunity also seeks to connect educators and instructors in universities to computing, data, and software resources that will enable them to train their students through hands-on projects and exercises.

Researchers and educators can apply for access to these resources and view descriptions of the first cohort projects at https://nairrpilot.org/ beginning May 6, 2024.

The NAIRR Pilot embodies a commitment to diversity and collaboration, recognizing that the strength of the U.S. AI ecosystem depends on having a research and education community which reflects the diversity of our nation. By fostering a strong and responsible AI research ecosystem, the pilot aims to empower a wide range of perspectives and technical directions from researchers and educators from U.S. institutions, including those from underrepresented groups, nonprofits and small businesses. 

• Learn more about the specific projects at the NAIRR Pilot portal
• More information about AI at NSF.gov

Research areas

Willetton knife attack: Teen shot dead by police was on strict behaviour plan, WA Education Department says

Police have seized phones from the family home of a "radicalised" teenager who was shot and killed by police after he stabbed a man and lunged at officers at the weekend.

The 16-year-old boy, a student at Rossmoyne Senior High School in Perth's south, stabbed a man in a Bunnings car park in Willetton on Saturday night and threatened police with a large kitchen knife before he was killed by a single shot fired by an officer.

He earlier told a triple-0 operator he was going to commit an act of extreme violence.

Authorities allege the youth became radicalised online and is believed to have suffered mental health issues.

On Tuesday, police said they were speaking to the boy's family members and have seized items including mobile phones.

"The motivation immediately prior to the attack is still under investigation," Police Commissioner Col Blanch said.

Prior incident investigated

Parents at the school told the ABC they had contacted police weeks ago after becoming worried their children were being influenced by the teenager, who they said had set off an explosive device in a school toilet in 2022.

Premier Roger Cook on Monday confirmed Education Minister Tony Buti also received a letter from concerned parents, but said police were unable to interfere as the boy had not committed any crimes at that time.

The Education Department confirmed the 2022 toilet incident in a statement saying "nobody was injured, and no damage was caused".

Video of the incident, which had been investigated by police, shows students setting off a small explosion in an empty toilet stall.

Police Minister Paul Papalia said that incident was "part of" what led the 16-year-old being brought to the attention of police, and being put on the countering violent extremism program.

Police dispel fresh threats

On Tuesday morning, the premier, education minister and WA Police were dispelling reports of a fresh safety threat at Rossmoyne Senior High School.

In an email sent to parents, principal Alan Brown said there were "some inappropriate messages circulating amongst students in the community."

Education Minister Tony Buti told ABC Radio Perth the messages purported to be from a student threatening harm to other students and staff on Tuesday. 

WA police quickly confirmed the threats were "vexatious and were not made by the 'sender'".

"Police do not have any concerns for the safety of the students, teachers and the broader community, and WA Police continue to work with the Department of Education to identify the source of the messages," a police spokesperson said.

Mr Buti also clarified details around the  letter sent by some Rossmoyne Senior High School parents concerned about the potential radicalisation of a cohort of students.

He said it referred only to their own child and not the deceased 16-year-old boy.

"The issue was about radicalisation. The letter did not express concern of community safety, more concern about their child being radicalised," the minister said.

Teen had 'extensive psychological support'

Education Department director-general Lisa Rodgers said in a statement she wanted to "reassure parents there are very comprehensive protocols across many government agencies to identify students who may present a risk to others in relation to violent extremism."

Ms Rodgers said the teenager had "been on an individual management plan which outlined rules in regard to his behaviour, monitored his attendance and online engagement, included routine check-ins to authorities and saw him provided with extensive psychological support".

"In every case when a young person is identified as being at risk of radicalisation, State Government agencies work together to ensure the safety and wellbeing of the whole student population, including those who may be vulnerable to extremism," Ms Rodgers said.

"This process for dealing with students where there are concerns about extremism has been in place between WA Police and the Department of Education since 2016 and in this particular case all the proper protocols were followed."

The premier said a complex range of issues had contributed to the incident on Saturday night.

"This is not simply a matter of someone having fixated views or extremist views and carrying them out, this is an individual who had a range of issues, complex issues which contributed to his character and motivations," Mr Cook said.

"There's no reason why anyone should feel that our kids' safety is being compromised by the neglect of our system."

Was this terrorism?

The incident involving the teenager has not been classified as a terrorist attack.

Commissioner Blanch said he didn't think an official declaration was required.

"Declaring a terrorist incident gives me additional powers under the Emergency Management Act. I don't need to use them at this time," he said.

"You can say it is a terrorist act, I'm saying I don't need to declare it an incident because I don't need additional powers.

"If that changes and more information does comes to hand, I may need to declare it."

The premier said it does have "terrorist characteristics".

"This is the first incidence to my memory of this sort of seriousness and where it would suggest that it does have terrorist characteristics," Mr Cook said.

Mr Papalia described it as a "terrorist threat".

"There's no cell, there's no conspiracy with regard to the incident," he said on Tuesday.

"There is no indication that there's anyone else involved in this."

Intervention programs stretched thin

The 16-year-old boy was one of nine people in WA engaged in a state-run anti-extremist program.

Curtin Extremism Research Network director Ben Rich said the effectiveness of counterterrorism programs for at-risk people depended on the participants' willingness to engage.

"If you take someone and you force them into it, the person feels like they don't have any choice in that matter. It's going to fail from the outset," he said.

Dr Rich said limited funding for the initiatives was also a barrier to success.

"The under-resourcing can be quite frustrating in an environment where we do have very, very large defence budgets, where we do have very, very large counterterrorism budgets," he said.

"We should think about perhaps directing some more funding to support the people [frontline workers] doing this incredibly critical work."

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