Bill would require agencies to report on their telework policy to OPM, post them on their websites and update those postings as changes are made. Image: Instantvise/Shutterstock.com
By: FEDweek StaffA leading Senate bill on telework in federal agencies would give the OPM new powers over that program, including by having it set centralized policies in areas where there is now variation among agencies and by having it define circumstances in which agencies could order employees to telework on emergency grounds regardless of any other provision of law.
The analysis by the Congressional Research Service comes just after the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs temporarily set aside that bill, S-4043, during a meeting at which it had planned a vote. The bill was delayed pending discussions over a Republican amendment to require more regular and more detailed scrutiny of teleworkers’ performance.
Other key provisions of the bill, the report said, include:
* Requiring OPM to expand its annual report on telework to include an assessment of the progress made by agencies in meeting telework goals such as emergency readiness, energy use, recruitment and retention, performance, productivity and employee attitudes regarding telework.
* Requiring OMB and GSA to develop central benchmarks for agencies to use when calculating building utilization rates and requiring agencies to track their rates and the effects of telework policy on the management of real and personal property. OPM in turn would set standards for automated telework tracking within payroll systems.
* Requiring agencies to report on their telework policy to OPM, post them on their websites and update those postings as changes are made; OPM in turn would post links to agency sites on its central telework.gov site. The GAO in turn would annually assess agency compliance with the requirements.
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