January 29, 2001
MEMORANDUM FOR HEADS OF EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENTS AND AGENCIES
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FROM: |
STEVEN R. COHEN
ACTING DIRECTOR |
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SUBJECT: |
Establishing Telecommuting Policies |
As part of the Fiscal Year 2001 Transportation Department appropriations bill, executive agencies are required to establish policies on telecommuting. The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) must assure that 25 percent of the total Federal workforce is covered by such policies within six months (April 2001) of the passage of the legislation, and that the remaining Federal workforce will be covered over the next three years. This requirement is contained in Section 359 of Public Law 106-346, dated October 23, 2000 (text attached). However, in anticipation of further developments on telecommuting, we encourage you to develop your policy as quickly as possible.
OPM's Office of Work/Life Programs and the General Services Administration’s (GSA) Office of Government-wide Policy have issued guidance to assist you in your efforts to establish telecommuting policies. This information should also prove helpful as you design programs to (1) increase managers’ and employees’ awareness of the full range of telecommuting flexibilities; (2) provide information on telecommuting resources; and (3) promote telecommuting programs.
The following guidance is available to assist in these efforts: (1) the OPM Telecommuting Briefing Kit helps managers and employees understand the circumstances under which telecommuting can work and provides a sample agreement; and
(2) OPM’s telecommuting website also provides additional resources regarding the government’s telecommuting initiative. This information is available at www.opm.gov/wrkfam/telecomm/telecomm.htm. GSA also has comprehensive guidance on its website at http://www.gsa.gov/Portal/gsa/ep/home.do?tabId=14.
In order to help us meet our Congressional mandate, please submit the attached reporting form regarding your policy development by April 2, 2001. Note that the form asks that you describe your plans to cover the remaining portions of your workforce over the next three years. Please send your responses to: Office of Workforce Relations, (Attention: Mallie Burruss), Office of Work/Life Programs, U.S. Office of Personnel Management, 1900 E Street NW, Room 7316, Washington, DC 20415-2000, Fax: (202) 606-2091.
Please feel free to have a member of your staff contact Mallie Burruss at 202-606-5529 (email: mtburrus@opm.gov) or email: workandfamily@opm.gov if they have questions.
Attachments
cc: Human Resources Directors
Work/Life Coordinators
Telecommuting Coordinators
Back To OPM Director's February 9, 2001 Memorandum