TOPICS
TOPICS
House passes bill encouraging telework
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
- Telework is a positive situation to help individuals receive a perk for doing good work. I know alot of federal employees that work from home and do more than they do at work. You will always have those that will think it is bad because they have that 1950s mentality of micro-management; I have to see the employee. Daniel Bedford Posted April 20, 2009 9:01 AM
- 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
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