Telework

• Telework is Growing, But There’s Still Room to Improve

  

  As a long-time teleworker myself, I have seen first-hand that teleworking, under the right circumstances, reaps significant benefits for both the employer and employee. The goal of the Telework Enhancement Act of 2010 was to redefine the workplace expectations of federal employees, and make those benefits available to more eligible workers.

• Telework 2011: Federal Government and Industry Outlook on Telework

  

  Is the federal government IT community willing and prepared to create a 21st century work environment that is based on flexibility, sustainability, continuity, and performance? FedScoop surveyed more than 300 IT executives from the federal government and private sector to assess the evolving perspectives and practices of telework.

• New Telework Policy Expands GSA Commitment

  

  The General Services Administration expanded its commitment to mobility and flexible workplaces today with the release of a new mobility and telework policy that aims to be a guide for the rest of the federal government.

• White Paper: U.S. Government Agencies Lead in Telework

  

  While telework is a growing trend in the public sector, it is an established practice in several U.S. government agencies, including the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

• OPM: Telework Differs from Agency to Agency

  

  Office of Personnel Management Deputy Director Justin Johnson said yesterday at FedScoop’s 3rd Annual Lowering the Cost of Government with IT Summit at the Newseum that this debate is raging throughout government agencies these days and its affecting how the 2010 Telework Act is being implemented.

• Telework Keeps USPTO Costs in Check

  

  In the past five years, the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office has seen its number of employees jump from 6,000 to nearly 10,000, but thanks to the agency’s telework/hoteling program, the impacts on the agency’s Alexandria headquarters have been minimal.

• OMB Sends Memo for Telework Security

  

  Office of Management and Budget Director Jack Lew recently sent a memo to agencies regarding security guidelines for implementation of telework.

• Turco on Telework: Not Fuzzy Slippers and Laundry

  

  Kathleen Turco, GSA’s Associate Administrator for the Office of Governmentwide Policy, said one of the biggest challenges going forward for telework isn’t getting employees on board, but for managers to find a comfort zone in not having workers in their line of sight each day.

• OPM Releases Federal Government Telework Guide

  

  The Office of Personnel Management recently released its “Guide to Telework in the Federal Government” that lays out the government’s policies and procedures for all things telework.

• Guess when will the first Federal Snow Day off be?

  As I start this entry, I’m wrapping up a day where the Feds here in D.C. have the opportunity to go home 2 hours early and local schools were closed because of snow. Plus, with more snow in the forecast for tomorrow, Metro DC is poised to double the amount of snowfall this season in one day. Good thing Doug Hill is not forecasting for over a foot of snow.

• Telework bill gets signed by President Obama

  The Telework Enhancement Act of 2010 was signed into law by President Obama yesterday. In a statement by the Press Secretary for the White House, the new law, “requires Federal agencies to establish policies allowing certain employees to work remotely.” [...]

• For those who haven’t heard … the House passes Telework Enhancement Act of 2010

  There is big news in the world of telework – the House passed the Telework Enhancement Act of 2010 (H.R. 1722) this past Thursday, November 18. This means that rules within the private sector are about to change. The bill passed with a 254 to 152 vote, and now is on its way to President Obama. So how exactly, will the bill affect federal employees?