Number: 111- 46
Date: July 19, 2010

House Passes H.R. 1722
Telework Improvements Act of 2010

 

On July 14, 2010, the House passed H.R. 1722, the “Telework Improvements Act of 2010,” by a vote of 290-131.  The bill would amend Title 5 of the U.S. Code, adding a chapter that would establish and implement telework policies in Federal Government.

The bill contains the following provisions of interest to SSA:

Governmentwide Telework Requirement

  • Would require the head of each executive agency to establish a teleworking policy within one year of enactment.  The policy would:

    • Have to conform to regulations promulgated within 180 days of enactment by the Office of Personnel Management (OPM), in consultation with the General Services Administration (GSA);

    • Authorize employees to telework to the maximum extent possible without diminishing employee performance or agency operations; and,

    • Require that information on the eligibility of employees to telework be included in descriptions of available positions and other recruiting materials.

  • Would prohibit implementation of such telework policy unless the agency head certified to OPM that the implementation of the policy would result in agency savings. 
  • Would prohibit an employee from teleworking if the employee has:

    • A seriously delinquent tax debt;

    • Been officially disciplined for viewing, downloading, or exchanging pornography on a Federal government computer or while performing government duties; or,

    • Been officially disciplined for being absent without permission for more than five days in a calendar year.

  • Would allow agencies to temporarily deny permission to telework, if, in the judgment of the agency head, the employee is needed to respond to an emergency.

Implementation

  • Would require agency heads to:

    • Provide appropriate training, including information security guidelines, to supervisors and managers and all employees who are authorized to telework;

    • Incorporate telework in agency continuity of operations plans and use telework in response to emergencies; and,

    • Make no distinction between teleworkers and non-teleworkers for the purposes of performance appraisals.

  • Would require OMB, in coordination with the National Institute of Standards and Technology, to issue guidelines, not later than 180 days after enactment, that ensure the adequacy of information and security protections for information and information systems used in, or otherwise affected by, teleworking. 

 

Telework Managing Officer

  • Would create in each agency a Telework Managing Officer, designated by the agency Chief Human Capital Officer, who would serve as the primary resource and point of contact in developing and implementing a plan to incorporate telework into the agency's regular business and continuity of operations strategies. 
  • Would require each Telework Managing Officer to provide telework program information to OPM and the Government Accountability Office in order for them to prepare annual reports to Congress.  Information would include techniques used to verify and validate telework data and numbers on denials of permission to telework.

Policy Guidance

  • Would require OMB, within 120 days of enactment, to issue policy guidance regarding the purchase of computer systems by agencies that enable and support telework.