United States General Services Administration

United States Office of Personnel Management

The Telework Issues Working Group, co-chaired by Billy Michael and Mallie Burruss, met at the GSA, 1800 F Street, NW, Room 3238 from 10:00 a.m. to noon on April 12, 2001.

Attendees: Lesly Wilson, GSA; Marge Adams, USDA; Peggy Rapp; Pat Kinney, OPM; Terry Poyner, State; Marge Higgins, GSA; Gerrye Erwin, DOD, IG; Paula Lucak, OPM; Bob Stein, DOT; Alice Owens, HHS/HRSA; Don Faulkner, DOT; Jennifer Leung, DOT/USCG; Theresa Noll, GSA; Helen Straka, Ed; Bruce Murray, DoE; Mallie Burruss, OPM; Ron Patterson, OPM; Billy Michael, GSA; and via telephone conference: Aliza Green, NIH; Brenda Glascoe, TVA.

Committee Updates:

Taxes -
Wendell Joice reported that IRS has not responded to him yet.

Worksite Health/Safety -
Billy Michael reported that the committee has only received oral answers to questions. The report is in the clearing process. OSHA is not focused on telework being done in any place other than the home. They need to focus on this. No recommendations as of yet except that OSHA and OWCP need to work together. There have only been two claims for OWCP that came about because of telework; one was approved and one was denied.

HR Issues -
Marge Adams reported that OPM had exceptions, mainly on duty location. They will react after the report is done.

COOP -
Ron Patterson mentioned that Coop and telework people need to talk, to share information.

General Training -
Marge Higgins is in the process of setting up the initial meeting.

Distance Learning -
Ron Patterson discussed the CD Rom, booklet, webbed-based instruction. GSA is going to support effort financially.

Pat Kinney mentioned that OPM is going to conduct a governmentwide study on telecommuting next FY.

Billy Michael encouraged committee members to read committee recommendations and comment. It was suggested that Theresa Noll set up a passworded website to help with the reading of the recommendations. Ron Patterson suggested that the group use OPM's passworded site.

The group had no opposition to Bruce Murray's suggestion that the legal report be sent to legal entities for review/comment.

Processes -
The issue of union involvement in negotiations came up. Discussion centered on the apporpriateness of sending a message to the unions inviting them to be on the Group; and to share the progress of the group. It was suggested to include all of the eleven unions.

When looking at recommendations paper, we need a mechanism for keeping track/ verifying that all recommendations are identified. How do we want to send our recommendations to agencies? Published report signed by OPM and GSA? Who do we want to send it to: agencies, Congress, White House? OMB needs to be advised at the staff level. Theresa Noll volunteered to ask OMB how we might incorporate cost into the report. It was agreed that report should be sent to agencies of policy custodians.

Telephone Equipment and Computers -
Don Faulkner mentioned that recommendations should be completed by the end of the month. Suggested that the "cost piece" could be looked at as a follow-on sub-group that is on-going and long range.

Random Drug Testing Policy -
If the random drug testing is in the policy, telecommuters have to make themselves available. HR guidance has to address this.

The following handouts were provided to the Working Group:

• Telework Issues Working Group Draft Recommendations, Comments & Status - April 2001
• Updated Roster - April 10, 2001
• Telework Laws flyer
• Telework Resources flyer
• March 8, 2001 Minutes