On March 21, Sen. Gary Peters (D-MI), Chairman of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, and Sen. Joni Ernst (R-IA) introduced the Telework Transparency Act (S. 4043). The bill would require agencies to gather data and monitor how telework impacts agency performance and federal property decisions, “creating more transparency and providing oversight to weigh the pros and cons of telework policies.” This follows the fall 2023 introduction of the bipartisan Telework Reform Act (S. 3015), endorsed by FMA.

“Federal agencies must track and consider the impact of telework on their ability to deliver services, recruit and retain talent, and ensure office operations are cost-efficient,” said Senator Peters in a statement upon introduction. “My bipartisan bill will require agencies to gather accurate data on telework policies to provide more transparency and help ensure federal agencies are effectively carrying out their missions for the American people.”

Further, as noted in a separate article in this issue of the Washington Report, the recently passed appropriations package requires that agencies share data related to telework usage, policies, and more. FMA supports further collection of data in order to make informed decisions.

To track the progress of S. 4043, click here.