Public Affairs Office
FORT LEONARD WOOD, Mo. (March 18, 2020) – Nationwide, companies and businesses are urging employees to work from home to help prevent and contain the spread of COVID-19.
As a result, the Maneuver Support Center of Excellence and U.S. Army Garrison Fort Leonard Wood started implementing civilian telework procedures this week as they continue to follow the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s recommended social distancing guidelines needed to mitigate and prevent the virus spreading.
Eligible military and civilian employees with MSCoE and Garrison are encouraged to telework, but must follow policies and procedures outlined in an updated telework memorandum of instruction that includes a response to COVID-19.
General Leonard Wood Army Community Hospital employees are not eligible for telework.
The MOI, signed by MSCoE Chief of Staff Col. David Caldwell, was released Sunday. The complete document is available in PDF format on the Fort Leonard Wood website, https://home.army.mil/wood/index.php, by clicking on the “Telework MOI for COVID-19” link on the righthand side of the page.
Ultimately, supervisors determine which positions in their organizations are eligible for telework, and must ensure the impact doesn’t diminish operations. Supervisors are responsible for making sure employees are held accountable for any government-furnished equipment they receive and that employees’ time is accounted for in the Automated Time Attendance and Production System.
To telework, employees must:
— Complete required telework training, “Telework Fundamentals − Employee Training,” which is available online.
— Complete and sign a telework agreement by filling out a DD Form 2946, which must also be signed by their supervisor.
— Employees must have internet access at home, check in with their supervisor daily, work during normal hours and ensure all time is coded properly.
For employees who only have desktop computers, MSCoE and Garrison IT personnel are issuing laptops to those employees to assist with teleworking.
Teleworking employees must also agree to safeguard all information, including all controlled unclassified information and comply with all criteria and guidelines for information and electronic security. Teleworkers may not work on classified material at alternative worksites.
Military service members do not require telework agreements, but accountability and system usage and instruction still apply.
Contract employees should check with their employer and contracting officer to see if they are eligible to telework.
The MOI notes that telework agreements are cooperative arrangements between supervisors and employees and are not an entitlement or right. Agreements may be terminated by the employee, their supervisor or a higher-level supervisor at any time. Employees should contact their supervisors for more information.
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About Fort Leonard Wood
Fort Leonard Wood is a thriving and prosperous installation that has evolved from a small basic training post more than 75 years ago to a premier Army Center of Excellence that trains more than 80,000 military and civilians each year.
Fort Leonard Wood is home to the U.S Army Maneuver Support Center of Excellence and three U.S. Army schools: the U.S. Army Engineer School; U.S. Army Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear School; and the U.S. Army Military Police School. In addition to training engineer, CBRN and military police specialties for the Army, Fort Leonard Wood also provides gender-integrated in-processing and Basic Combat Training for new Soldiers.
Fort Leonard Wood also hosts and trains with the largest Marine Corps Detachment and Air Force Squadron on any Army installation as well as a large Navy construction detachment.
More information about Fort Leonard Wood is at: https://home.army.mil/wood/index.php/about/mission