Telework Issues Working Group

The Office of Personnel Management and the General Services Administration joined forces in late 2000 to coordinate and lead a massive in-depth review of governmentwide telework policies and established the Telework Issues Working Group to spearhead the effort. Agencies were asked to identify issues that could benefit from policy clarification and/or revision. Over the past year, 25 representatives from 16 different agencies have participated in this policy review. Seventy-seven issues have been organized into seven topical groups, with a separate committee for each topical area.

Early in the review, it became clear that existing policies already addressed many of the relevant issues. However, these policies were either spread across multiple agency websites or not available on websites at all. The Working Group recommended that one website be established as a central repository for all federal telework information. The joint telework.gov website was launched as a result.

Other issues have demanded extensive research and deliberation by the Working Group. The Group's findings and recommendations are now being consolidated into a comprehensive report that will be completed in the upcoming weeks.

The seven topical categories being considered by the Work Group committees are as follows:

Legal/Procurement Issues

This committee has identified and reviewed all of the applicable laws, regulations, Executive Orders, and case decisions that relate to telework. The final committee report will offer guidance on how to manage and meet these legal and regulatory requirements.

Telecommunications, Computers, and Other Equipment

This committee is considering technology and equipment issues. Agency concerns in this area include cost; physical security; internal agency systems; confidentiality and privacy; use of government equipment in personal residences; technical support; and connectivity.

The committee's approach is to develop practical suggestions that will help resolve problems in the short term while identifying issues that must be addressed for the long-term success of the telework initiative. Expectations are that many of these issues will need to be directed to the interagency CIO Council for further review.

Taxes

This committee is looking at the issue of tax deductions for teleworkers' home offices and equipment. In most cases, home office and equipment deductions are not allowed for teleworkers, although the rules in this area are not altogether clear. Telework deductions are impeded by two factors: the requirement that sole use of the home office and equipment must be for business purposes and that telework must be for the convenience of the employer.

Worksite Health and Safety

This committee is considering issues such as agency liability, the adequacy of home office checklists, and the certification of adequate facilities. The committee met with representatives of both the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and the Office of Workers' Compensation Programs (OWCP), and is developing a safety and health primer based on its work in this area. As a direct consequence of the committee's inquiries, OWCP is considering modifying its operating procedures and data system to collect information on work injuries at various alternative work locations.

Human Resource Management

This committee is studying a wide range of human resources issues related to telework, including work schedules; overtime; recruitment and retention; eligibility criteria; performance management; and dependent care.

Continuity of Operations Program

There is a direct relationship between the Federal Government's Continuity of Operations (COOP) effort and telework, the implications of which are being studied by another Working Group committee. The two programs share a basic objective: to perform and maintain agency functions from an alternate location. Both programs also share operational requirements such as efficient reliable electronic connections and security guarantees and protections.

Training

The Working Group is addressing training issues as a whole. Consensus has been reached on:

• the need for training geared to managers, supervisors, individual teleworkers, and co-workers;
• the need for flexibility and diverse training opportunities, including generic and agency-specific training, on-site and distance-accessible training; and
• the need to incorporate recommendations and findings from the overall telework working group into any model for telework training.

The working group is participating in the development of OPM's internet-based training module and is collecting information on training available or under development by individual agencies and private sector organizations.

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