Daily Dose: Let’s Telework (Finally?)!

Looks like your bunny slippers and bath robe are going to get a bit more use now that the Telework Enhancement Act was passed overwhelmingly in the Senate last Thursday.

Ed O’Keefe, Federal Eye Columnist at the Washington Post, shared the news:

Telework Legislation Passes

A bit more about it from O’Keefe:

The vote caps a years-long effort to secure Congressional approval of a program federal recruiters believe could help woo new government job applicants eager for flexible work schedules and options.

The measure requires federal agencies to develop policies allowing employees to work remotely unless their positions are specifically excluded (that means you, doctors, police officers, lab technicians, park rangers, etc.).

But some government managers remain skeptical of the program, citing an unwillingness to manage employees they literaly can’t see at the office.

So what’s your take?

Does this legislation have enough teeth
to (finally) make telework a reality?

Or are managers so resistant that
this law won’t even make a mark?

Eager to get your thoughts…

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“Daily Dose of the Washington Post” is a new blog series created by GovLoop in partnership with The Washington Post. If you see great stories in the Post and want to ask a question around it, please send them to [email protected].

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Henry Brown

IMO Until the mindset of a significant percentage of supervisors/managers change dramatically, won’t be much change in the REAL numbers.

Upon first casual reading of said bill don’t see any risks for NOT adopting a telework mindset

Lindley Ashline

It will likely depend on each agency’s perspective and top-down approach. If the agency leadership buys in and takes telework seriously, that agency will likely see overall changes in telework numbers. If the agency leaders collectively shrug and don’t encourage telework through their policies, frameworks and IT capabilities, managers will have no incentive to change their own attitudes and only a few workers willing to push the issue will do any telework.

Kathleen Schafer

As a big believer that a balanced life makes a good leader. I find that people are much more productive when they develop work habits that match their talent, skills and current life experience. Living lives that are more harmonious not only increases productivity, it increases happiness which is good for everyone!

Chris IRS Recruiter

The IRS Recruitment Office strongly supports telework which we call flexiplace. Every person in our office has a laptop. My manager encourages us to “flex” at least once every two weeks. It’s good for morale and productivity.

As a whole I think the IRS sees telework as a positive thing. The Service has two categories of telework situational-every once in a while, or occupational- telework so often that they give up their on-site work space. I have only been here for about a year, but I see more and more people opting to telework.

I don’t know that we’re ahead of the curve, but we are supporting the movement.

Eric Erickson

I recently had an accident which resulted in broken bones and surgery. I wasn’t able to leave the house for several weeks. However, because my division supports telework, I was able to start work a couple days after leaving the hospital – I signed on for a just a couple hours a day from home, which allowed me to stay caught up on e-mails and on top of other projects, to make sure all my work was done while I was recovering.