Agencies stand to lose money over telework eligibility

A number of federal entities stand to lose as much as $5 million each if they do not certify that their workers are eligible for teleworking, but the government has not clearly defined "certification" other than to ask agencies to sign a document stating that they have made the option of teleworking available to all employees.

The Office of Personnel Management is using the document to compile an annual survey of agencies' progress on the matter.

A provision in the House appropriations bill for fiscal 2005 for the Commerce, Justice and State departments and other agencies said they must certify that they have made telework an option for their employees by 2004.

"At this point, the language (especially the term 'certification') has not been defined operationally to either the [General Services Administration] or the OPM," wrote Wendell Joice, the government's telework team leader.