Bill Overview
Title: Telework Metrics and Cost Savings Act
Description: This bill prohibits executive agencies from reducing or otherwise limiting the level of employees who may telework below the level in effect at the time of the bill's enactment. Agencies must also report on their plans to increase the number of teleworking employees and any resulting cost savings; the Office of Personnel Management must also issue guidance on how agencies can more effectively collect data on telework use and implementation, including any cost savings.
Sponsors: Rep. Connolly, Gerald E. [D-VA-11]
Target Audience
Population: People employed by U.S. federal executive agencies with potential to telework
Estimated Size: 1900000
- The bill affects employees in executive agencies who are teleworking or have the potential to telework.
- The bill mandates that agencies maintain their telework levels, which implies very direct impacts on these employees' work environments.
- Indications of cost savings from telework suggest not only personal benefits but potentially broader budgetary impacts for agencies and taxpayers.
- All federal employees in the executive agencies, which constitute a significant proportion of the federal workforce, could be positively affected by stable or increased telework opportunities.
Reasoning
- The policy primarily impacts federal executive agency employees who currently telework or have the potential to telework, affecting a large portion of these 1.9 million employees.
- The policy aims to provide cost savings on infrastructure and facilities by increasing telework, which may lead to better work-life balance and increased productivity as reported by employees.
- Some employees may remain unaffected immediately if their roles are not amenable to teleworking, hence a variety of impacts from high to none are expected.
- Federal employees vary widely in job roles, locations, and personal circumstances, leading to a range of responses to telework opportunities.
- The budget constraints necessitate focusing on effective reporting and maximizing the indirect benefits of increased telework, like improved morale and productivity.
Simulated Interviews
Data Analyst (Washington D.C.)
Age: 34 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 10/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I really appreciate the opportunity to telework as it saves time on commuting and allows me more time with my family.
- The policy ensures that I can continue to telework without worry, which is great.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 5 |
Project Manager (New York)
Age: 45 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 7.0 years
Commonness: 12/20
Statement of Opinion:
- If the policy increases my telework days, it would help manage my daily commute.
- The cost savings could mean more resources for my projects, which I wouldn't mind.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 6 |
IT Specialist (Remote work location in Montana)
Age: 29 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 8
Duration of Impact: 20.0 years
Commonness: 8/20
Statement of Opinion:
- My role is designed for remote work, so this policy reassures me that the current setup won't change.
- The focus on telework gives me job security in this arrangement.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 5 |
Human Resources Manager (San Francisco)
Age: 52 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 7/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I'm hopeful this will lead to more telework options in our agency.
- The reporting will likely make our managers more accountable for work-life balance improvements in our human resource policies.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 5 |
Compliance Officer (Atlanta)
Age: 38 | Gender: other
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 1.0 years
Commonness: 5/20
Statement of Opinion:
- My job involves a lot of site visits which cannot be done remotely, so the policy may not directly affect me immediately.
- However, if the data collection improves, it might create some indirect benefits for office policy changes.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 5 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 5 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 5 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 5 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 5 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 5 | 5 |
Program Coordinator (Dallas)
Age: 41 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 10/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Teleworking provides flexibility in managing my team remotely, so any policy that ensures this can continue is beneficial.
- I am particularly interested in seeing any resultant cost savings being redirected to team resources.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 6 |
Entry-level Administrative Assistant (Chicago)
Age: 26 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 9/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I don't see how this policy would change much for me unless they expand telework opportunities to cover my role.
- It's interesting to see what cost savings they mention due to telework.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 5 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 5 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 5 | 5 |
Senior Regulatory Analyst (Miami)
Age: 49 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 15.0 years
Commonness: 6/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Teleworking is vital for coordinating with international partners in different time zones, so I'm glad the policy safeguards this.
- I look forward to possible enhancements in telecommuting infrastructure.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 6 |
Training Specialist (Seattle)
Age: 37 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 8
Duration of Impact: 20.0 years
Commonness: 11/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This policy helps ensure stability in how I deliver my work since all my deliverables are telework-friendly.
- Optimizing telework reporting would benefit by providing data-driven evidence of productivity and job satisfaction.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 6 |
Federal Grants Officer (Los Angeles)
Age: 55 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 3.0 years
Commonness: 4/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Since I'm nearing retirement, I'm less affected by this policy, although it's good for my younger colleagues.
- More telework opportunities will likely improve work-life balance for them, leading to improved efficiency.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 6 |
Cost Estimates
Year 1: $5000000 (Low: $4000000, High: $7000000)
Year 2: $4000000 (Low: $3500000, High: $6000000)
Year 3: $4000000 (Low: $3500000, High: $6000000)
Year 5: $3000000 (Low: $2500000, High: $5000000)
Year 10: $2000000 (Low: $1500000, High: $3000000)
Year 100: $1000000 (Low: $500000, High: $2000000)
Key Considerations
- The policy mandates no reduction in telework, which could face resistance from certain agency managers accustomed to in-office operations.
- Increased telework adoption may necessitate additional IT security investments to protect sensitive government data remotely accessed by employees.
- The potential for cost savings could vary widely among different agencies based on their current telework infrastructure and real estate strategies.