House OKs Federal Telework Bill Requiring Presumption of Eligibility

Federal employees would be presumptively eligible to telework and federal agencies would be required to establish telework policies and incorporate them into their continuity of operations (COOP) planning under legislation passed by the House July 14 on a 290-131 vote.

The Telework Improvements Act (H.R. 1722), introduced in March 2009 by Rep. John Sarbanes (D-Md.) , would require agencies to:

• establish telework policies that in addition to presuming employees’ eligibility for telework would (1) ensure that telework does not diminish employee performance or agency operations; (2) exclude employees whose duties require daily direct handling of secure materials or onsite activity ...