Telework Managing Officers & Coordinators

Telework Enhancement Act

The signing of the Telework Enhancement Act (the Act) in December 2010 transformed Federal telework to unleash its potential as a strategic intervention for supporting agency effectiveness.  By providing a framework of requirements, the Act enables a more systematic implementation of telework in Federal agencies.  Satisfying these requirements has meant a fundamental shift in how agency stakeholders view and implement telework -- from a strictly individual employee benefit to a strategic organizational change program.

The Act functions to support the development and advancement of telework by outlining a number of requirements to ensure appropriate support structures (e.g., leadership, policies, telework agreements) and capabilities (via training) are in place to achieve effective programs.  The Act  applies to all employees of Federal Executive agencies (agencies).  Subject to the limitations described in the law and as defined by individual agency telework policies and applicable collective bargaining agreements, employees may participate in telework regardless of the geographic location where they work.

As the lead for telework, the TMO is responsible for making certain that requirements assigned to agencies under the Act are met.  It is also important that he/she understands responsibilities assigned to various agencies by the Act in order to know how to respond appropriately to leadership and employee questions.

Federal Agencies

According to the Act, every Federal Executive agency shall:

• Establish a policy under which eligible employees may be authorized to telework;
• Determine employee eligibility to participate in telework;
• Notify all employees of their eligibility to telework;
• Incorporate telework into Continuity of Operations (COOP) plans;
• Ensure that each eligible employee authorized to telework enters into a written telework agreement with his/her supervisor;
• Ensure that an interactive telework training program is provided to eligible employees and their managers and that the program is successfully completed by employees prior to entering into a written telework agreement  (unless the head of the agency has provided for an exemption for employees already teleworking under an arrangement in effect prior to the Act);
• Designate a TMO to serve as the primary point of contact with OPM on telework matters on behalf of the agency; and
• Consult with OPM as needed for policy guidance in various areas, including  pay and leave, agency closure, performance management, official worksite, recruitment and retention, and accommodations for employees with disabilities.

When fulfilling the requirements of the Act, Federal agencies shall:

• Allow pre-decisional involvement on development of telework policies with employee representatives to the fullest extent practicable and
• Ensure that appropriate collective bargaining obligations are satisfied with employee representatives on agency telework policies.

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U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM)

To assist agencies in building telework programs, the Act directs OPM to:

• Provide consultation and policy guidance to agencies on telework in the areas of pay and leave; agency closure; performance management; official worksite; recruitment and retention; and accommodations for persons with disabilities;
• Assist each agency in establishing appropriate telework goals, as well as qualitative and quantitative measures for evaluating them;
• Consult with the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) on policy and policy guidance for telework in the areas of telework centers, travel, technology, equipment and dependent care;
• Consult with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) on policy and policy guidance for telework in the areas of continuation of operations and long-term emergencies; and
• Consult with the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) on policy and policy guidance for telework in the areas of efficient and effective records management; and preservation of records, including Presidential and Vice-Presidential records.

In addition, OPM must:

• Maintain a telework website;
• Compile and submit annual reports to Congress on the telework programs of each agency;
• Research the utilization of telework by public and private sector entities to identify best practices and recommendations for the Federal Government; and
• Review outcomes associated with an increase in telework, including the effects of telework on energy consumption, job creation and availability, urban transportation patterns, and the ability to anticipate the dispersal of work during periods of emergency, and making findings available to the public.

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Office of Management and Budget (OMB)

According to the Act, OMB is required to:

• Consult with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), to issue guidelines to ensure the adequacy of security protections for information and information systems used while teleworking; and
• Issue policy guidance requiring each agency, when purchasing computer systems, to purchase systems that enable and support telework, unless the agency head determines that there is a mission-specific reason not to do so.

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For more information, visit Telework Legislation.