Agencies survive telework scrutiny, but pressure to step up efforts rising
A review found that agencies required to adopt strong telework programs complied with law and will not lose $5 million in appropriations.
The five government agencies under the gun for making telework opportunities available to workers passed their annual review, but they face congressional scrutiny to expand their programs.
Government Accountability Office reviews of the Commerce, Justice and State departments, the Securities and Exchange Commission and the Small Business Administration found that while they had disparate methods of reporting telework opportunities, each agency met the requirements of legislation that threatened to strip $5 million in appropriations if opportunities to work away from the office were not readily available to employees.
But in letters to the agencies dated Sept. 14, Rep. Frank R. Wolf, R-Va., chairman of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Science, said, "The committee remains very concerned that agencies are not fully embracing telework opportunities."
Wolf wrote that his committee believes the agencies still must take substantial steps toward increasing telework opportunities and that they anticipate the number of telework-eligible positions and qualified employees to grow. The agencies are expected to file quarterly reports to address these concerns.
Wolf also called on President Bush to encourage agencies to actively support and encourage telework.
The legislator wrote in a Sept. 15 letter that the private sector is struggling to work with government agencies in the Hurricane Katrina relief efforts because certain federal jobs are not allowed to participate in telework programs.
Wolf added that telework is key to ensuring the continuity of government operations in the event of a catastrophe and he appreciates GSA's move to expand its offer to all agencies of free use of 14 telework centers in the Washington area.
Legislation for fiscal 2006 passed by the House on June 16 includes language that also requires NASA and the National Science Foundation to certify that opportunities to work away from the office are available to employees who are deemed eligible.
The Senate version of the bill passed on Sept. 15 does not include the language and the differences will be resolved in conference committee.