# § 1437b. Support for out-of-area covered employees
**(a)** **In general** All covered employees whose location of employment is outside of the Washington, DC area (referred to in this section as “out-of-area covered employees”) shall have equitable access to the resources and services provided by the Office and under this chapter as is provided to covered employees who work in the Washington, DC area.
**(b)** **Office of Congressional Workplace Rights** The Office shall—
**(1)** establish a method by which out-of-area covered employees may communicate securely with the Office, which shall include an option for real-time audiovisual communication; and
**(2)** provide guidance to employing offices regarding how each office can facilitate equitable access to the resources and services provided under this chapter for its out-of-area covered employees, including information regarding the communication methods described in paragraph (1).
**(c)** **Employing offices** It is the sense of Congress that each employing office with out-of-area covered employees should use its best efforts to facilitate equitable access to the resources and services provided under this chapter for those employees.
---
**Source Credit**: (Pub. L. 104–1, title V, § 510, as added Pub. L. 115–397, title III, § 307(a)(2), Dec. 21, 2018, 132 Stat. 5325.)
## Editorial Notes
### References in Text
This chapter, referred to in text, was in the original “this Act”, meaning , , , which is classified principally to this chapter. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Short Title note set out under and Tables.
### Prior Provisions
A prior was renumbered section 511 and is classified to .
## Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries
### Effective Date
Section effective upon expiration of the 180-day period beginning on , with provisions for effect on pending proceedings, see , set out as an Effective Date of 2018 Amendment note under .