Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to concur with a bill that requires the establishment of a government-wide telework policy that authorizes employees to perform the duties and responsibilities of their position, and other authorized activities, from an approved work-site other than the location from which the employee would otherwise work.

Full Bill Text

Full Bill Text

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to pass a bill that requires the establishment of a government-wide telework policy that authorizes employees to perform the duties and responsibilities of their position, and other authorized activities, from an approved work-site other than the location from which the employee would otherwise work.

Highlights:

• Requires the head of each executive agency, within 1 year of the date of enactment, to establish a policy that authorizes employees to telework "to the maximum extent possible without diminishing agency operations and performance" (Sec. 2).

• Exempts agencies from the aforementioned requirement in the case of employees whose duties and responsibilities require daily direct handling of classified information or require on-site activity which cannot be carried out from a site removed from the employee's regular place of employment (Sec. 2).

• Authorizes agencies to temporarily revoke permission for an employee to telework if the employee is needed to respond to an emergency, as determined by the head of the agency (Sec. 2).

• Prohibits agencies from making distinctions between telework and non-telework employees with respect to any of the following (Sec. 2):
• Job performance appraisals;
• Training, rewarding, reassigning, promoting, reducing in grade, retaining, or removing employees;
• Work requirements; and
• Other acts involving managerial discretion.

• Requires agencies to establish the position of Telework Managing Officer, and establishes the duties and responsibilities of the Officer, including, but not limited to, the following (Sec. 2):
• Providing advice on teleworking to the head of the agency and the Chief Human Capital Officer;
• Serving as a resource on teleworking for supervisors, managers, and employees; -Serving as primary point of contact on telework matters for agency employees, Congress, and other agencies;
• Working with senior management to develop and implement a plan to incorporate telework into regular business strategies;
• Establishing a system for receiving feedback from agency employees on the the telework policy; and
• Ensuring that employees are notified of grievance procedures avaliable to them with respect to disputes related to telework.

• Requires the Director of the Office of Personnel Management to do the following (Sec. 2):
• In consultation with the Administrator of General Services, establish regulations necessary to establish the government-wide telework policy within 180 days after the date of enactment;
• In consultation with the Administrator of General Services, maintain a central, publicly avaliable telework website; and
• Provide advice, assistance, and any necessary training to agencies to fulfill the telework requirements.

• Requires the Director of the Office of Personnel Management to submit to the Comptroller General and appropriate committees of Congress annual reports evaluating the extent to which each agency is in compliance with the provisions of this Act and an evaluation of other factors, including, but not limited to, the following (Sec. 2):
• Degree of participation by employees of the agency in teleworking;
• Whether the total number of employees who telework is at least 10 percent higher or lower than the previous reporting period and the reason for such change;
• Agency's goal for increasing the number of employees who telework and the extent to which the agency has met this goal;
• The best practices in agency telework programs; and
• The extent to which specific agencies (31 USC 901(b)) are incorporating telework in its continuity of operations plans and in response to emergencies.

Full Bill Text

Full Bill Text