New Argument for Telecommuting: Energy Savings

The Office of Personnel Management has urged agencies to increase their use of telework—as well as use of carpooling and public transportation by employees through transit subsidy programs—in response to President Bush’s call for energy conservation following the disruption of fuel supplies caused by Hurricane Katrina. OPM sent a memo to heads of departments and agencies reminding them that allowing employees to work at home or from a telecommuting center eliminates or reduces the need to commute. OPM has been urging agencies for many years to increase their use of telecommuting, although only small percentages of employees still do so, even part-time—largely, because studies have found, because of managerial resistance.