The Office of Personnel Management has issued its final installment of information for use by federal departments and agencies in preparing for a possible pandemic flu outbreak including guidance on teleworking.
The latest – and somewhat redundant guidance in that it reiterates much of what OPM has previously issued – states that the key to
successful use of telework in the event of a pandemic crisis is an effective routine telework program.
That means that as many employees as possible should have telework capability including current arrangements with management, Internet
access, necessary equipment and enough experience teleworking to be able to do so smoothly if the need arises.
Specifically, the guidance said managerial responsibilities in the event of a flu outbreak include the following:
Implement telework to the greatest extent possible in the workgroup so systems are in place to support successful remote work in an emergency;
Communicate expectations to all employees regarding their roles and responsibilities in relation to remote work in the event of a pandemic health crisis;
Establish communication processes to notify employees of activation of this plan;
Integrate pandemic health crisis response expectations into telework agreements;
With the employee, assess requirements for working at home;
Determine how all employees who may telework will communicate with one another and with management to accomplish work;
Identify how time and attendance will be maintained.
The full guidance is available here: www.opm.gov/pandemic.