Q: Does OPM provide employee and/or manager training that DoD Components
can use?
A: Yes. OPM provides interactive, online telework training courses for both managers and employees, free of charge. After completing the training modules, users can print out a certificate to be used as documentation.

Q: Is the Component required to check the safety and security of a home-based
telework office?
A: No, the Component is not required to visit the teleworker’s home to inspect it for
safety and ergonomics. DoD policy requires that employees complete a self-certification
safety checklist as part of the initial telework agreement prior to beginning the telework
arrangement. A visit to the teleworker’s home should be made by appointment only.
This checklist can be used as a proxy for an onsite visit.

Q: Can an employee be forced to work at home?
A: Generally, no, unless telework is a condition of employment or it is required for continuity or in the event of an emergency or crisis situation. In these instances, an employee may be required to work at home, a telework center, or an alternative workplace. Employees who perform mission-critical duties during an emergency situation should have a signed Telework Agreement in place that addresses telework  expectations under these circumstances.

Q: What equipment will the employee need at the home-based worksite and
who will provide it?
A: Components should make every effort to provide the necessary equipment for telework, within budgetary constraints, based on the nature and type of work performed.

Q: Who is responsible for maintaining and servicing equipment used at the
alternative worksite?
A: The Component is responsible for the service and maintenance of government furnished equipment. Employees are responsible for the installation, repair, and maintenance of all personal equipment and other incremental costs associated with the residential workplace, such as home maintenance, insurance, or utilities. See DoD Instruction 1035.01, Telework Policy for more information about telework equipment.

Q: Who is liable for work-related injuries and/or damages at the alternative
worksite?
A: Government employees suffering work-related injuries and/or damages at the alternative worksite are covered under the Military Personnel and Civilian Employees Claims Act, the Federal Tort Claims Act, or the Federal Employees' Compensation Act (workers' compensation). Non-Appropriated Fund employees are covered under the Longshore and Harbor Workers’ Compensation Act.

Q: Are business phone calls from the home reimbursable?
A: Components may reimburse business phone calls from an employee’s home phone.
Components may also issue a calling card, provide a cell phone, or reimburse for longdistance (domestic and international) telephone expenses if incurred as a result of official business. See DoD Instruction 1035.01, Telework Policy for more information.

Q: Can Components use telework center set-aside funds to reserve seats for
Continuity of Operations (COOP) purposes?
A: Public Law 105-277, Omnibus Appropriation Act, Title IV, § 630 requires Executive
Agencies to set aside a minimum $50,000 for telework center use. DoD Components
may not use COOP payments to satisfy this requirement. CPMS manages the central
fund for telework center costs.