Some agencies are more focused on telework implementation than others and some need to improve implementation plans while others are making great progress, according to a recent survey from the Congressional Research Service.
Reps. Gerald Connolly, D-Va., and John Sarbanes, D-Md., requested the survey of agency telework efforts and wrote recently to OPM director John Berry summarizing the findings.
They noted for example that the Department of Agriculture, the Patent Trademark Office GSA have a relatively high rate of total work hours accomplished through telework and are integrating it into daily operations, consistent with the goals of the Telework Improvement Act.
However, VA has classified 87 percent of its workforce as ineligible for telework, something the Representatives called "unlikely," and does not track the number of employees who telework or the total number of labor hours composed of telework.
Other departments, such as Education and HHS have high eligibility rates but low participation rates, suggesting they could do more to make telework part of their routines to realize real estate and utility cost savings and strengthen continuity of operations preparation.
They singled out Treasury and DHS for low participation, where each completes just one percent or fewer work hours via telework.
"This abysmal telework performance is inexplicable in light of the large number of DHS office positions, and could prove to be a threat to national security if DHS is unable to implement a continuity of operations plan because its employees are unaccustomed to telework," they wrote.
