DC Public Service Commission seeks approval to allow employee to work on Capitol building

CAPITOL, Md.

— The DC Public Services Commission is considering allowing employees to work at the Capitol building for up to 60 days a year.

The commission said Monday that the request comes after the Capitol Police Department said in July it was investigating allegations that an employee had been working on Capitol grounds without a permit.

In the wake of the investigation, the commission approved a temporary permit for one employee, who has since been fired, to work from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday.

The commission is expected to approve a permanent permit for the employee at its Feb. 16 meeting.

The request for temporary permits was part of a broader effort to give employees greater flexibility and allow for better security.

Earlier this year, the D.C. Council approved a measure that gave employees two weeks to get a permit before work could begin.

The permit process, which requires a one-page approval from the commission and a two-page application, was a part of the city’s effort to overhaul the workday.

The D.I.C., which oversees Capitol operations, has said the process is a “key factor” in improving employee safety.

But in a letter to the commission, the council’s general counsel said the city is looking for ways to better protect employees.

“We’re working with the commission to develop policies and procedures that will enhance the safety and security of the District and the District Government,” said the letter from D.L. Bower, the general counsel.

According to the letter, the agency has a policy requiring all employees to have permits before they begin work on public buildings.

The council also passed a resolution in January that said it would seek to create a new division of D.P.S. for security.