DDTC Seeking to Make ITAR Telework Exception Permanent

The State Department is circulating a proposed rule that would permanently revise the International Traffic in Arms Regulations to allow employees involved in ITAR-related activities to work remotely. To make the change, the rule would update the definition of a “regular employee” in ITAR, which would allow for greater flexibility for industry workers who telework, a State Department official said in a Dec. 9 email. The proposed rule was sent for interagency review last week (see 2012080011).

The State Department’s Directorate of Defense Trade Controls initially introduced the remote-work measure as a temporary exception (see 2004240017 and 2007230033) but said in July it was considering making the change permanent after receiving requests from industry (see 2007280014). The State Department official said the agency hopes the rule, if published, helps industry better “adapt to working in the time of COVID-19.”