Telecommuting is NOT ALLOWED from the following DOE “countries of concern”:
- North Korea
- Iran
- Russia
- China (including Hong Kong and Macau)
- This is NOT an international business trip request.
- Telecommuting from abroad is a special circumstance and is not automatically approved: the decision to allow temporary telecommuting from abroad requires several levels of approval including Division Management, Cyber Security, Counterintelligence, Immigration Services, and Export Control.
- Maximum of 90 days under normal circumstances; extensions possible for delays outside of the employee’s control such as visa application-related delays, and may be combined with vacation or other leave time.
- Please note the following important information from our Immigration Office: If the requestor is not a U.S. citizen or Lawful Permanent Resident (LPR) and needs a new visa stamp before re-entering the U.S. this may cause significant delays in the ability to return due to long waits for visa appointments, or delays in approval so the case can go through additional review (“administrative processing”). Requests for expedited appointments can be prepared by Argonne’s outside immigration law firms for a fee but the approvals are discretionary. There is no established process to expedite cases that are undergoing administrative processing. If a visa-related delay extends the trip beyond the period approved for telecommuting, the requestor must be prepared to cover that gap with vacation or other leave time or go on unpaid leave.