As United States Attorneys’ Offices announced and began to implement their post-pandemic return-to-office plans, our association surveyed approximately 600 Assistant United States Attorneys in 92 offices to better understand the future of telework. I am writing today to share a summary of our findings and to give you an opportunity to comment on them before we communicate the survey results to AUSAs and our other stakeholders. We previously shared our 2021 telework survey findings with you, where we found 93% of respondents supported telework availability for AUSAs of at least two days per week.

Flexibility Works: Consistent Access to Telework Supports the Effective Administration of Justice

On behalf of the National Association of Assistant United States Attorneys (NAAUSA), representing the interests of the over 6,000 Assistant U.S. Attorneys (AUSAs) working in the 94 U.S. Attorney Offices, we write to provide comments on the proposed updates to USAP 3-4.650.001 included in Version 2.1.

The Executive Office for United States Attorneys (EOUSA) telework policy has historically supported a patchwork approach to telework availability and flexibility for U.S. Attorney Offices. The absence of a broad adoption of telework flexibility has left some offices without any access to the benefit, which is critical for employee effectiveness, wellbeing, and retention. The proposal USAP 3-4.650.001 included in Version 2.1 ultimately continues this history.

It appears that there is light at the end of the COVID-19 pandemic tunnel for the United States. If there is a “silver lining” for the Department of Justice to the tragedy of this highly contagious and life threatening disease, it has been, for the most part, that Assistant United States Attorneys (AUSA) working with their federal, state, and local law enforcement partners, as well as AUSAs on the civil side of the house, have been able to very successfully get the job done during these past 14 months. AUSAs have been able to do so via computer technology and ZOOM virtual proceedings.

Telework Enhances the Administration of Justice

On behalf of the National Association of Assistant United States Attorneys (NAAUSA), representing the interests of the over 6,000 Assistant U.S. Attorneys (AUSAs) working in the 94 U.S. Attorney Offices, we write to provide comments on the proposed updates to USAP 3-4.650.001 included in Version 2.1.

The Executive Office for United States Attorneys (EOUSA) telework policy has historically supported a patchwork approach to telework availability and flexibility for U.S. Attorney Offices. The absence of a broad adoption of telework flexibility has left some offices without any access to the benefit, which is critical for employee effectiveness, wellbeing, and retention. The proposal USAP 3-4.650.001 included in Version 2.1 ultimately continues this history.