GovernmentExecutive.com

Just in time for $4 a gallon gasoline, the House approved legislation Tuesday that would require federal agencies to allow more employees to work from home.

The bill, sponsored by Rep. Danny Davis, D-Ill., would require all agency heads to set policies allowing qualified workers to telework at least 20 percent of the hours worked in a two-week period, or generally the equivalent of two work days.

"A happy workforce is a productive workforce," Davis said. Allowing federal workers to telecommute "can help boost productivity by cutting down on commuting time," he said, adding that it would reduce traffic congestion and provide relief from high gas prices.

Rep. John Sarbanes, D-Md., said more telework could help the government hire and keep workers as its aging workforce retires.

The National Treasury Employees Union praised the passage of the bill (H.R. 4106), and called for passage of its Senate counterpart, (S. 1000), which has won the approval of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee.

"There is abundant evidence that telework programs have a wide range of positive impacts on employees, their agencies and their communities," said NTEU president Colleen M. Kelley. "Among other welcome results, they boost employee productivity and morale - in particular by making it easier to balance their work and family responsibilities -- and they help in reducing traffic congestion and related pollution."

COMMENTS

• Typical of them to mess up a good thing that Steny Hoyer had proposed with the 4 day 10 hour work week. Nobody in their right mind want to be working from home. We don't have enough time to do the house work as is. Our work is confidential and can't be teleworked but, when did the House do any home work to find that information out. Typical. The comment about 4 days work and 15% more per hour sounds even better. And if the House were of, for, and about the people and not all about themselves then things wouldn't be so messed as they are. DDT Posted September 17, 2008 10:59 AM
• Just noticed that oldest messages are on the bottom. So my last post used improper descriptions. Anyway... To Brad and all his accolytes I submit that perhaps the bill should be amended to include a provision that no supervisor can be rated anything over mid-level satisfactory unless their employees are doing 20% telework. Let them put their money where their mouth is! Dana Johansen Posted July 18, 2008 4:28 PM
• The proposed legislation may very well have the unintended consequence of REDUCING the potential for telework. It defines telework as MORE than 20% of the hours in a pay period. It defines it a "regular". But what about the "Civilian Employee" above who currently does 1 day a pay period? Would that employee loose that benefit? How about folks on the Advanced Work Schedule who wants to work an hour or two at home after a day at the office, then take a day off. No can do, with this definition. The definition of telework REALLY needs to be changed to include ANY number of hours in a pay-period, and any degree of periodicity, from regular to repeated irregular. If they want happiness and less commuting, MAKE IT FLEXIBLE!! Dana Johansen Posted July 18, 2008 4:11 PM