On September 18, the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs passed the Telework Transparency Act (S. 4043), bipartisan legislation introduced by Sen. Gary Peters (D-MI), the Chairman of the committee, and Sen. Joni Ernst (R-IA), by a unanimous vote of 11-0. FMA endorsed the bill, which 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.”

If enacted, S. 4043 would:

• Require agencies to make policies publicly available online;

• Establish automated systems to track employee use of telework at each agency;

• Mandate periodic audits to determine if agencies are doing enough to verify teleworking employees are getting paid the correct locality-based pay;

• Monitor office building utilization and the effects of telework on agency performance, including customer service, backlogs and wait times, cost to operations, security, management of property, technology investments, and recruitment and retention; and

• Direct the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) to establish quality data standards and compile the data in a centralized location to ensure transparency for the American people.

The bill is cleared for consideration on the Senate floor. However, with few legislative days remaining in the 118th Congress, it is unclear if the bill will get a vote.

Another FMA-endorsed telework bill, the Telework Reform Act (S. 3015), passed the committee during a markup in May. S. 3015, sponsored by Sens. James Lankford (R-OK) and Kyrsten Sinema (I-AZ), codifies the definitions of telework and remote work. Additionally, it aims to enhance training and monitoring, accountability, and reporting for these arrangements. Further, it orders agencies to “identify potential value from increasing remote and other telework opportunities, which job classifications could benefit from being performed through telework, and expected cost savings and productivity outcomes resulting from the increased use of remote work and telework.”

Among its specific provisions, S. 3015 would:

• Require telework and remote work agreements between employees and agencies be renewed on an annual basis, including a review of agency needs;

• Require employees to take telework training every year;

• Require biannual surveys on telework usage; and,

• Require an annual review of telework guidelines by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB).