Legislation promotes federal teleworkers

Telework Enhancement Act of 2007 would open more doors to telecommuting.

A pair of senators has introduced legislation that would pump up federal support for telework, enabling more government employees to work from home.

The Telework Enhancement Act of 2007, S. 1000, introduced by Sen. Ted Stevens, R-Ala., and Sen. Mary Landrieu, D-La., if passed would make a number of changes in federal telework law, including a requirement that all federal employees be eligible to telework unless shown otherwise by their employer. Today, the law says the opposite: that all employees are ineligible unless the federal agency where they work shows that telework is a viable option.

To be fair, the number of federal employees deemed eligible is on an upswing. Study results released last month by the CDW Government consultancy found that 44% of federal employee respondents say they have the option to telework, up from just 6% who said they had that option in 2006.

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A pair of senators has introduced legislation that would pump up federal support for telework, enabling more government employees to work from home.

The Telework Enhancement Act of 2007, S. 1000, introduced by Sen. Ted Stevens, R-Ala., and Sen. Mary Landrieu, D-La., if passed would make a number of changes in federal telework law, including a requirement that all federal employees be eligible to telework unless shown otherwise by their employer. Today, the law says the opposite: that all employees are ineligible unless the federal agency where they work shows that telework is a viable option.

To be fair, the number of federal employees deemed eligible is on an upswing. Study results released last month by the CDW Government consultancy found that 44% of federal employee respondents say they have the option to telework, up from just 6% who said they had that option in 2006.

When compared to the private sector, government agencies are way ahead of the curve. The CDW study found that just 15% of private-sector employee respondents said they had the option to telework.

It’s not surprising given the fact that government already has legislation in place designed to spur increased telework. Legislators back teleworking as a way to reduce energy consumption, decrease traffic congestion and contribute to work-life balance.

All executive agencies are required to offer eligible employees a telecommuting option and departments and agencies are required to report, each quarter, how many federal employees are teleworking. In addition, agencies must designate a telework coordinator to oversee the implementation and management of telecommuting programs.

Yet the focus on telework among federal managers remains low. Survey results released Monday by the Telework Exchange showed that federal telework coordinators spend just a quarter – or less – of their time dedicated to telework.

Stevens’ and Landrieu’s bill would help address that. It requires that a full-time employee be designated by each federal agency as a Telework Managing Officer (TMO) who would focus on nothing but telework, implementing telework policies, acting as a liaison between employees and managers, developing criteria to track productivity and ensure accountability and keeping employees informed of telework options.

The bill also mandates telework training both for new employees and managers and requires that employee reviews include a discussion of telework options.