# Department of the Navy Revises Telework Accommodation Policy

The Department of the Navy (DON) is currently experiencing delays and policy gaps regarding Reasonable Accommodation (RA) requests for telework or 100% remote work for employees with disabilities, including those with 100% VA disability ratings. This situation stems from the absence of finalized Department of Defense (DoD) or DON policies governing telework accommodations, resulting in stalled approvals and potential adverse employment impacts such as leave without pay (LWOP) or absence without leave (AWOL). Procurement and human resources professionals should be aware that DON and Disability Operations Workforce (DOW) are actively working on new policies, but until finalized, accommodation requests remain in limbo. Employees and contractors involved in federal disability accommodations are advised to document denials and consider initiating federal disability retirement processes to safeguard employment rights and benefits.

- **Why this matters:** Procurement professionals managing contracts with DON should anticipate potential workforce impacts due to accommodation delays and plan for continuity.
- The evolving RA telework policy indicates forthcoming changes in federal accommodation procedures affecting civilian workforce management.
- Organizations supporting DON may need to adjust human capital strategies to address telework accommodation uncertainties.
- Contractors and HR teams should prepare for increased administrative workload related to accommodation requests and potential disability retirement claims.

**Jurisdictions:** federal
**Industries:** Professional Services
**Topics:** Regulatory Compliance
**Published:** September 23, 2026

### Government Entities
- Department of the Navy (DON)
- Department of Defense (DoD)
- Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC)

### Key Quotes
> "Start your Fed Disability Retirement now. It doesn't need a denial EEO, but the denial RA will help."
> — Community member

> "DOW and DON are working a new policy so we cannot approve or deny modifications or new requests"
> — Original poster

### Sources
- [RA DOW new process???](https://www.reddit.com/r/FedEmployees/comments/1woloov/ra_dow_new_process) - reddit-fedemployees