HD12 - Telework Opportunities for State and Private Sector Employees - House Joint Resolution 144


    Executive Summary:
    House Joint Resolution 144 (2006) was created to study the ways in which telework opportunities for state and private sector employees can be enhanced and increased. The availability of new technologies makes teleworking not only an attractive option for public and private employee flexibility and convenience, but it also, with proper planning, can provide for continuity of essential government services in the event of a disaster.

    The joint subcommittee, chaired by Delegate Timothy D. Hugo, met four times during the 2007 Interim, building on its work during the 2006 Interim. During these meetings, the joint subcommittee was briefed on a "Teleworking Guide to Best Practices" compiled by the Council on Technology Services Mobile Workforce Workgroup. The joint subcommittee also received information and advice from Chuck Wilsker, the President and CEO of the Telework Coalition, and Kay LyBrand, a private-sector employee with extensive experience in establishing a successful telework program. Finally, Sara Wilson, Director of the Virginia Department of Human Resource Management provided an update on the status of telework, and the Department of Rail and Public Transportation provided an update on the Telework!Va program. Both of these presentations followed-up on information provided to the joint subcommittee during the 2006 Interim.

    Based on the information gathered and discussed over the course of two years, the joint subcommittee made several legislative recommendations that will be introduced during the 2008 Session of the General Assembly. These recommendations include:

    Define telework in the Code of Virginia as working at least one day a week away from the central workplace. Currently, it is defined as "a work arrangement in which supervisors direct or permit employees to perform their usual job duties away from their central workplace, in accordance with work agreements." By not including a standard, such as one day a week, each agency is essentially free to determine it's own standard in reporting the number of teleworking employees, making it difficult to examine success in implementation from agency to agency.

    Codify a goal of every agency having 20% of its eligible workforce teleworking by January 1, 2010. The Code currently sets forth a similar goal for implementing alternative work schedules, but is silent on a telework goal.

    Support efforts of joint subcommittee members to introduce and pass legislation establishing a telework tax credit for private entities in the Commonwealth. Delegate Jeff Frederick and Senator Mark Herring, both members of the joint subcommittee, introduced such legislation during the 2007 Session of the General Assembly. These measures did not pass in 2007, but were likely to be reintroduced in 2008. The joint subcommittee indicated general support for this approach if the credit was capped at a total of $1 million. The joint subcommittee also urged the patrons to seek out alternative sources of revenue for the $1 million in the budget.

    Codify the Office of Telework Promotion and Broadband Assistance. This office was established in 2006 by Executive Order 35. In order to provide continuity from the current administration to the next, it was recommended that the office be codified within the Governor's office, with a 10-year sunset.

    A final report outlining the work of the joint subcommittee during the 2006 and 2007 Interim will be forthcoming.