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United States Government Accountability Office: 
GAO: 

Report to the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental 
Affairs, U.S. Senate and the Committee on Oversight and Government 
Reform, U.S. House of Representatives: 

June 2012: 

GAO Telework Report: 

Calendar Year 2011: 

GAO-12-777SP: 

GAO Highlights: 

Highlights of GAO-12-777SP, a report to the Committee on Homeland 
Security and Governmental Affairs, U.S. Senate and the Committee on 
Oversight and Government Reform, U.S. House of Representatives. 

Why GAO Did This Study: 

Telework has been cited as an important management strategy with 
benefits for both the organization and employees. These benefits 
include supporting continuity of operations during emergencies, 
contributing to a greener environment, increasing employees’ ability 
to balance work and life demands, decreasing facility operating costs, 
and improving employee retention and recruitment. 

For more than a decade, Congress has indicated its desire that 
agencies create telework programs. Recently, Congress passed the 
Telework Enhancement Act of 2010 (the Act). The Act established 
several program requirements, including that federal agencies submit 
annual reports to OPM on their programs and that GAO issue an annual 
report to Congress on its program. 

This report describes GAO’s telework program and provides information 
on (1) the number and percentage of eligible GAO employees as well as 
the number and percentage of GAO employees who teleworked by frequency 
categories, (2) the participation goals for calendar year 2012 and the 
ways telework has supported other agency goals, and (3) the best 
practices employed in GAO’s telework program. 

What GAO Found: 

During calendar year 2011, nearly all GAO employees were eligible to 
telework and about 84 percent of GAO’s employees teleworked to some 
extent. Specifically, about 40 percent of GAO’s employees teleworked 
one or more days per pay period, and nearly 44 percent teleworked to 
some extent each month. The remaining employees did not telework. 
Telework was not conducive for those responsible for providing on-site 
support and services such as sorting and delivering mail, and greeting 
visitors. Others did not telework for a variety of reasons, including 
personal preference, and in accordance with the Act and GAO’s policy, 
certain factors prohibited some employees from teleworking, such as 
performance or conduct issue. Further, an employee’s ability to 
telework depends on the nature of the position and the needs of GAO’s 
congressional clients. 

Figure: Percentage of GAO Employees Teleworking in Calendar Year 2011: 

[Refer to PDF for image: pie-chart] 

No telework days (543): 15.9%; 
One day per month (636): 18.7%; 
Less than one day per month (862): 25.3%; 
One or 2 days per pay period (1,008): 29.6%; 
Three or more days per pay period (360): 10.6%. 

Source: GAO. 

[End of figure] 

In accordance with the Act, GAO has established telework participation 
goals for calendar year 2012 and expects the telework program to 
continue supporting other agency goals. GAO’s overall participation 
goal is that 90 percent of its employees will telework, even if only 
for a few hours, during calendar year 2012. This will help GAO 
employees be prepared to telework in case of an emergency. Also GAO 
expects its telework program to continue to help employees address 
their worklife needs, and, based on employee’s comments, to improve 
employee morale. Finally, through a pilot program that expands the use 
of telework in two field offices, GAO has estimated significant future 
cost savings through infrastructure reductions. 

GAO has incorporated best practices and recommendations that it 
prescribes to other agencies in its telework program. For example, GAO 
designated a telework program manager, developed a policy, provided 
technical support for teleworkers, used the same performance standards 
to evaluate both teleworkers and non-teleworkers and established 
processes, procedures, and a tracking system to collect data to 
evaluate the telework program. 

View [hyperlink, http://www.gao.gov/products/GAO-12-777SP]. For more 
information, contact Carolyn M. Taylor at (202) 512-2974 or 
taylorcm@gao.gov. 

[End of section] 

Contents: 

Letter: 

The Telework Act Program Requirements: 

Nearly All GAO Employees Were Eligible for Telework, and Over 80 
Percent Teleworked to Some Extent in Calendar Year 2011: 

GAO's Goals Are to Increase the Overall Telework Participation Rate 
and Continue Making Progress in Meeting Other Agency Objectives: 

Our Telework Program Includes Nearly All of the Best Practices: 

Conclusion: 

Appendix I: Objectives, Scope, and Methodology: 

Appendix II: GAO's Telework Policy: 

Appendix III: Telework Participation Rates from Calendar Year 2007 to 
2011: 

Appendix IV: GAO Contact and Staff Acknowledgments: 

Tables: 

Table 1: Telework Goals for Calendar Year 2012 Compared to Average 
Participation Percentages for Calendar Year 2011: 

Table 2: Extent to Which GAO Has Implemented Key Telework Practices: 

Table 3: GAO Telework Participation Rates from Calendar 2007-2011: 

Figures: 

Figure 1: Number and Percentage of Employees that Teleworked in CY 
2011: 

Figure 2: Total Telework Participation for Calendar Years 2007-2011: 

Figure 3: Users Accessing GAO's Remote Portal for Telework Purposes 
during Snow Emergency of 2010 (Snowmaggedon): 

Abbreviations: 

Act: Telework Enhancement Act of 2010: 

GPRA: Government Performance and Results Act: 

GSA: General Services Administration: 

OPM: Office of Personnel Management: 

SAS: Statistical Analysis System: 

[End of section] 

United States Government Accountability Office: 
Washington, DC 20548: 

June 28, 2012: 

The Honorable Joseph I. Lieberman:
Chairman:
The Honorable Susan M. Collins:
Ranking Member:
Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs:
United States Senate: 

The Honorable Darrell E. Issa:
Chairman:
The Honorable Elijah Cummings:
Ranking Member:
Committee on Oversight and Government Reform:
U.S. House of Representatives: 

Telework has been cited as an important management strategy with 
several benefits. These benefits include supporting continuity of 
operations during emergencies, contributing to a greener environment, 
increasing an employee's ability to balance work and life demands, 
accommodating people with disabilities, reducing demand for office 
space, decreasing facility operating costs, and improving employee 
retention and recruitment. 

For more than a decade, Congress, through legislative actions, has 
indicated its desire that agencies create telework programs. Congress 
passed Section 359 of Public Law No. 106-346 in October 2000, which 
mandated that each executive agency establish a policy under which 
eligible employees may participate in telework to the maximum extent 
possible without diminishing employee performance. This law provided 
both the General Services Administration (GSA) and the Office of 
Personnel Management (OPM) with lead roles for government-wide 
telework initiatives. More recently, Congress has demonstrated its 
interest in expanding telework in the federal sector through passage 
of the Telework Enhancement Act of 2010 (Act). This legislation 
established several program requirements, including that executive 
branch agencies, submit annual reports to OPM on their telework 
program and that GAO provide a report to Congress on OPM's overall 
telework report of all federal agencies. Also, the Act required GAO to 
submit a report on its telework program to Congress.[Footnote 1] To 
address this reporting requirement, this report describes (1) the 
number and percentage of eligible GAO employees as well as the number 
and percentage of GAO employees who teleworked by frequency 
categories, (2) the participation goals for calendar year 2012 and 
ways telework has supported other agency goals, and (3) the best 
practices employed in GAO's telework program. 

To develop the number and percentage of eligible GAO employees, we 
determined the total number of employees on GAO's rolls at any time 
during calendar year 2011, and considered the eligibility provisions 
in the Act and our policy. To develop the number and percentage of GAO 
employees who teleworked in each frequency category, we analyzed data 
from our time and attendance system, and divided the number of 
telework days by the number of pay periods worked to obtain each 
employee's average level of telework participation. Using OPM's 
definition, we defined a telework day as a day in which any time was 
charged to telework. We recognize that the accuracy of telework 
reporting is dependent upon the accuracy of employee self-
certification and supervisory verification. We have found the data to 
be reliable for the purposes of this report. 

We developed telework participation goals based on our analysis of 
telework data from prior years and other related information. 
Specifically, we analyzed participation data from calendar years 2007 
to 2011. We determined that the total number of employees who 
teleworked in calendar year 2011 was not 10 percent higher or lower 
than the previous year and as such did not need to identify reasons 
for the variation. Also, in establishing our goals, we considered our 
Continuity of Operations Plan and employees' views about telework 
taken from our 2011 employee and customer satisfaction surveys. 

In addition, our telework participation goals reflect an expectation 
that more staff will telework to some extent due in part to our 
recently launched workspace sharing and telework pilot. In October 
2011, the Comptroller General announced his intent to pilot a more 
liberal telework policy, combined with workspace sharing, such as 
hoteling or hot desking, to allow the agency to cut infrastructure 
costs and enhance flexibility for employees by allowing some employees 
to spend the majority of their time working from home or some other 
suitable telework location. GAO management and the GAO Employees 
Organization, representatives worked closely together to establish 
this pilot program in our San Francisco and Boston field offices. 
[Footnote 2] Employees in both offices can expand telework hours up to 
90 percent of their schedules. As of April, 2012, almost half of the 
eligible employees in both offices had opted to telework 50 percent or 
more of their time. The remaining employees have chosen to spend a 
majority of their time in the office, although most are teleworking to 
some extent. Based on a limited review of the telework participation 
data for staff in the pilot, the percentage of staff telworking at 
least 1 day per pay period has increased. Management and Union 
representatives have agreed to develop an assessment of the 
implementation of this pilot. 

To assess the extent to which GAO's telework program reflects best 
practices, we reviewed our telework policy and compared it to best 
practices suggested by OPM and GSA. We also compared our program to 
the best practices identified in prior GAO reports on telework 
programs in the federal government. Appendix I includes additional 
information on our scope and methodology. 

The Telework Act Program Requirements: 

In addition to requiring that agencies report on telework 
participation rates, goals, and agency practices, the Act includes 
several other requirements. Specifically, the Act requires that each 
agency, (1) establish a telework policy, (2) determine and notify 
employees of eligibility, (3) ensure that telework does not diminish 
employee performance or agency operations, (4) provide supervisory and 
employee training, (5) require a written agreement between the 
employee and management memorializing the terms and conditions of 
telework, (6) establish a Telework Managing Officer from among senior 
level management, and (7) incorporate telework into the agency's 
Continuity of Operations Plan. GAO's telework program addresses these 
requirements. 

GAO first established its telework policy in 1991. The policy has been 
revised several times to address changes in technology, increased 
demand for a mobile work environment, government efficiency, 
readiness, and work-life balance for employees. To address the 
requirements of the Telework Act, we again revised our policy in June 
2012 and it is reprinted in appendix II. Under our policy, all GAO 
employees are eligible to apply for telework, subject to the 
limitations stated in the Act and in GAO policy. In addition to the 
statutory limitations, GAO's telework policy imposes a performance 
standard and allows management the discretion to cancel a telework 
agreement when an employee's conduct could have a negative impact. 
Also, our telework policy addresses position suitability, as well as 
congressional client and institutional needs. 

We have used our intranet to notify employees about the telework 
policy, including eligibility and program procedures. We have 
developed a telework web page that provides information about the 
telework program and policy that is available to all employees. Also, 
we have adopted a web-based application process. The employee must 
indicate a specific telework schedule, alternate work place address, 
and the nature of work to be performed while on telework on the 
application. Additionally, the application lists the terms and 
conditions of employment that each employee must agree to in order to 
telework. Each application is then routed to the appropriate 
management official for approval. If approved, the application 
constitutes the written agreement between the employee and management 
memorializing the terms and conditions of telework. 

Other requirements of the Act are also part of GAO's telework program. 
In May 2011, we implemented interactive, web-based training for 
managers of teleworkers. One aspect of the training emphasizes the 
need for managers to communicate to telework applicants that the same 
working conditions, including performance standards, apply to 
employees who telework and those who do not. Our training and policy 
also make it clear that managers can cancel a telework agreement if 
there are performance or conduct issues and if there are concerns due 
to the nature of an employee's work or the accomplishment of the 
agency's mission. Also, GAO has a designated a Telework Managing 
Officer and our Continuity of Operations Plan document incorporates 
telework by addressing times when the normal physical office space of 
GAO Headquarters or a Field Office becomes unavailable. 

Nearly All GAO Employees Were Eligible for Telework, and Over 80 
Percent Teleworked to Some Extent in Calendar Year 2011: 

Nearly all GAO employees were eligible to telework at some time in 
calendar year 2011. The Act prescribes that certain conduct prohibits 
employees from teleworking and requires that telework not diminish 
employee performance or agency operations. The GAO policy makes it 
clear that employees need to have performed at "meets expectations" or 
better on their most recent performance appraisal to be eligible to 
telework. Also, to be eligible to telework, employees must not have 
any conduct issues that would have a negative impact on a telework 
arrangement. If an employee has performance or conduct issues, when 
the performance and conduct improves, the employee is again eligible 
to telework. 

However, an employee's ability to telework depends on the nature of 
the position and the needs of our congressional clients. According to 
GAO's policy, certain positions may not be suitable for a telework 
arrangement. These include positions that require extensive face-to-
face contact, frequent access to material that cannot be removed from 
the regular office, such as classified documents, or other security 
requirements that cannot be duplicated at the alternate workplace. 
Further, if the absence of the employee from the office would 
adversely affect either the performance of other employees, or the 
ability to meet the needs of the client or the agency's institutional 
needs, a telework arrangement may not be suitable. But given the 
variability of the GAO work environment, an employee's ability to 
telework can change. For example, one employee who worked on preparing 
a classified report for 3 months could not telework during this time 
period but could telework the other 9 months of the year when working 
on other reports that did not include classified information. 

During calendar year 2011, about 84 percent (2,862 out of 3,409) of 
GAO employees teleworked to some extent.[Footnote 3] Also, about 40 
percent of GAO's employees (1,368) recorded teleworking an average of 
1 day or more per pay period in calendar year 2011. Figure 1 shows the 
average participation data in the categories described by the Act. 

Figure 1: Number and Percentage of Employees that Teleworked in CY 
2011: 

[Refer to PDF for image: pie-chart] 

No telework days (543): 15.9%; 
One day per month (636): 18.7%; 
Less than one day per month (862)[A]: 25.3%; 
One or 2 days per pay period (1,008): 29.6%; 
Three or more days per pay period (360): 10.6%. 

Source: GAO. 

[A] The Act does not specify a quantitative frequency for the 
participation category "occasional, episodic or short term." In order 
to give meaning to these terms we defined this category to include 
those employees that teleworked at least 1 hour, but less than once 
per month during calendar year 2011. 

[End of figure] 

The 2011 overall telework participation rate continued an upward trend 
but did not increase by more than 10 percent from 2010. After 
accounting for the change in total employees who participated in the 
telework program, the participation rate between calendar years 2010 
and 2011 increased by 5.9 percent. Each year since 2007, the overall 
average telework participation rate, and the participation rates of 
those teleworking at least 1 day per pay period, has increased. Figure 
2 shows the change in percentage of staff who teleworked from calendar 
years 2007 to 2011. Table 3, in appendix 3, provides data on our 
average telework participation rates per frequency category for these 
years. 

Figure 2: Total Telework Participation for Calendar Years 2007-2011: 

[Refer to PDF for image: vertical bar graph] 

Calendar year: 2007; 
Percentage of staff who teleworked: 58.4%. 

Calendar year: 2008; 
Percentage of staff who teleworked: 64.4%. 

Calendar year: 2009; 
Percentage of staff who teleworked: 72.5%. 

Calendar year: 2010; 
Percentage of staff who teleworked: 78.2%. 

Calendar year: 2011; 
Percentage of staff who teleworked: 84.1%. 

Source: GAO. 

[End of figure] 

Approximately 16 percent of GAO's employees did not telework in 
calendar year 2011. A certain number of our employees did not telework 
because they are responsible for work that is not conducive to 
telework. For example, about 55 percent of our administrative/clerical 
staff and 100 percent of our employees in Wage Grade pay plans did not 
telework. These employees often must provide on-site support and 
services such as sorting and delivering mail, and greeting visitors. 
Other employees did not telework for a variety of reasons, including 
personal preference. 

GAO's Goals Are to Increase the Overall Telework Participation Rate 
and Continue Making Progress in Meeting Other Agency Objectives: 

We have established an overall participation rate goal for calendar 
year 2012 as well as goals for various frequency categories. We expect 
to increase the percentage of employees who telework at least once per 
month, 3 or more days per pay period, and 1 or 2 days per pay period. 
In setting these goals, we considered the telework participation rates 
for the calendar years 2007 to 2011, the requirement to incorporate 
telework into the agency's Continuity of Operations Plan and the 
expected successful implementation of our workspace sharing and 
telework pilot program in the Boston and San Francisco field offices. 
With these increases, our overall participation rate goal for calendar 
year 2012 will be for 90 percent of our employees to participate in 
the telework program in some way, even if only for a small number of 
hours. 

We have also established a goal for decreasing the percentage of 
employees who telework less than once a month. This goal is in 
accordance with best practices identified by OPM, which recommends 
that all employees have routine experience teleworking in order to 
ensure familiarity with resources and procedures in support of 
emergency readiness. Targets for each participation category are 
listed in table 1, along with the average participation percentages 
for calendar year 2011 for comparison purposes. 

Table 1: Telework Goals for Calendar Year 2012 Compared to Average 
Participation Percentages for Calendar Year 2011: 

Calendar year: 2011 participation; 
Three or more days per pay period (average): 10.6%; 
One or 2 days per pay period (average): 29.6%; 
One day per month (average): 18.7%; 
Less than 1 day per month: 25.3%; 
No telework (average): 15.9%. 

Calendar year: 2012 goals; 
Three or more days per pay period (average): 15.0%; 
One or 2 days per pay period (average): 35.0%; 
One day per month (average): 17.0%; 
Less than 1 day per month: 23.0%; 
No telework (average): 10.0%. 

Source: GAO. 

[End of table] 

Our telework program will continue to help the agency meet other 
agency-wide objectives. The telework program has supported our 
continuity of operations program, allowed employees to address their 
work-life needs, and been viewed favorably by employees. Additionally, 
through an expanded use of telework in selected field offices, we have 
estimated significant cost savings in the future through 
infrastructure reductions. The following examples illustrate some of 
the ways our telework program has supported other goals. 

* Continuity of Operations: Due to an emergency situation in the fall 
of 2001, over 1,500 GAO employees were deployed to other locations and 
continued operating using our telework program. 

* Continuity of Operations: During the snow emergency of 2010, 
popularly known as Snowmaggedon, hundreds of GAO employees accessed 
GAO's remote portal for telework purposes and continued to work even 
when the federal government was closed. 

Figure 3: Users Accessing GAO's Remote Portal during Snow Emergency of 
2010 (Snowmaggedon): 

[Refer to PDF for image: combined vertical bar and line graph] 

Date: January 19, 2010; 
Number of GAO employees with telework agreements on this day: 54; 
Number of GAO employees accessing the network on this day: 346. 
 
Date: January 20, 2010; 
Number of GAO employees with telework agreements on this day: 104; 
Number of GAO employees accessing the network on this day: 360. 

Date: January 21, 2010; 
Number of GAO employees with telework agreements on this day: 72; 
Number of GAO employees accessing the network on this day: 344. 

Date: January 22, 2010; 
Number of GAO employees with telework agreements on this day: 210; 
Number of GAO employees accessing the network on this day: 551. 

Date: January 25, 2010; 
Number of GAO employees with telework agreements on this day: 77; 
Number of GAO employees accessing the network on this day: 383. 

Date: January 26, 2010; 
Number of GAO employees with telework agreements on this day: 56; 
Number of GAO employees accessing the network on this day: 328. 

Date: January 27, 2010; 
Number of GAO employees with telework agreements on this day: 102; 
Number of GAO employees accessing the network on this day: 369. 

Date: January 28, 2010; 
Number of GAO employees with telework agreements on this day: 72; 
Number of GAO employees accessing the network on this day: 364. 

Date: January 29, 2010; 
Number of GAO employees with telework agreements on this day: 200; 
Number of GAO employees accessing the network on this day: 606. 

Date: February 1, 2010; 
Number of GAO employees with telework agreements on this day: 73; 
Number of GAO employees accessing the network on this day: 420. 

Date: February 2, 2010; 
Number of GAO employees with telework agreements on this day: 54; 
Number of GAO employees accessing the network on this day: 354. 

Date: February 3, 2010; 
Number of GAO employees with telework agreements on this day: 104; 
Number of GAO employees accessing the network on this day: 800. 

Date: February 4, 2010; 
Number of GAO employees with telework agreements on this day: 72; 
Number of GAO employees accessing the network on this day: 321. 

Date: February 5, 2010; 
Number of GAO employees with telework agreements on this day: 210; 
Number of GAO employees accessing the network on this day: 1,263. 

Date: February 8, 2010; 
Number of GAO employees with telework agreements on this day: 77; 
Number of GAO employees accessing the network on this day: 798. 

Date: February 9, 2010; 
Number of GAO employees with telework agreements on this day: 56; 
Number of GAO employees accessing the network on this day: 919. 

Date: February 10, 2010; 
Number of GAO employees with telework agreements on this day: 102; 
Number of GAO employees accessing the network on this day: 1,033. 

Date: February 11, 2010; 
Number of GAO employees with telework agreements on this day: 72; 
Number of GAO employees accessing the network on this day: 1,048. 

Date: February 12, 2010; 
Number of GAO employees with telework agreements on this day: 200; 
Number of GAO employees accessing the network on this day: 1,189. 

Date: February 15, 2010; 
Number of GAO employees with telework agreements on this day: 73; 
Number of GAO employees accessing the network on this day: 422. 

Date: February 16, 2010; 
Number of GAO employees with telework agreements on this day: 54; 
Number of GAO employees accessing the network on this day: 498. 

Date: February 17, 2010; 
Number of GAO employees with telework agreements on this day: 104; 
Number of GAO employees accessing the network on this day: 322. 

Date: February 18, 2010; 
Number of GAO employees with telework agreements on this day: 72; 
Number of GAO employees accessing the network on this day: 312. 

Source: GAO. 

[End of figure] 

* Employee Attitudes and Opinions: GAO employees generally shared 
positive views about telework in our employee feedback and customer 
satisfaction surveys.[Footnote 4] For example, one employee commented 
in the 2011 customer satisfaction survey that "being able to remain 
equally productive when not being in the office is a major benefit. 
The current program is excellent and should be expanded further." 
Another employee wrote, "Telework flexibility really improves quality 
of work life." Our 2011 Employee Feedback Survey also found overall 
positive comments encouraging the expanding of our telework program. 
However, some comments in this survey focused on areas of improvement, 
like additional telework policy training and more consistent 
application of the program across GAO. 

* Cost Savings: GAO estimated cost savings of approximately $1.2 
million from the workspace sharing and telework pilot developed 
jointly by GAO Management and the GAO Employees Organization in the 
Boston and San Francisco field offices. These savings will result from 
relinquished space and equipment, as well as reduced costs for 
utilities and transit benefit subsidies. Plans are under way to expand 
the pilot to GAO's Seattle and Los Angeles field offices in 2012. We 
are planning to develop other metrics to monitor outcomes from our 
field office pilot. 

Our Telework Program Includes Nearly All of the Best Practices: 

In 2003, GAO identified 25 key practices for successful implementation 
of telework initiatives and, as shown in table 2, we have fully 
implemented 23 of them.[Footnote 5] The other two practices, training 
employees and establishing measurable telework goals, will be 
completed this calendar year. Specifically, we will provide telework 
training for all employees by the end of calendar year 2012 to 
complement the supervisory telework training that we implemented in 
June 2011. As for measureable goals, while we did not set specific 
participation goals in prior years, we encouraged all employees to 
have telework agreements and we have established participation goals 
for calendar year 2012. Also, we will develop measures to evaluate 
these goals in accordance with the Government Performance and Results 
Modernization Act. 

Table 2: Extent to Which GAO Has Implemented Key Telework Practices: 

Category: Program planning: 

Practice: Designate a telework coordinator; 
GAO has fully implemented this practice. 

Practice: Establish a cross-functional project team, including, for 
example, IT, Union representatives, and other stakeholders; 
GAO has fully implemented this practice. 

Practice: Establish measurable telework program goals; 
GAO has taken some steps to implement this practice. 

Practice: Develop an implementation plan for the telework program; 
GAO has fully implemented this practice. 

Practice: Develop a business case for implementing a telework program; 
GAO has fully implemented this practice. 

Practice: Provide funding to meet the needs of the telework program; 
GAO has fully implemented this practice. 

Practice: Establish a pilot program; 
GAO has fully implemented this practice. 

Category: Telework policy; 

Practice: Establish an agencywide telework policy; 
GAO has fully implemented this practice. 

Practice: Establish eligibility criteria to ensure that teleworkers 
are selected on an equitable basis using criteria such as suitability 
of tasks and employee performance; 
GAO has fully implemented this practice. 

Practice: Establish policies or requirements to facilitate 
communication among teleworkers, managers, and co-workers; 
GAO has fully implemented this practice. 

Practice: Develop a telework agreement for use between teleworkers and 
their managers; 
GAO has fully implemented this practice. 

Practice: Develop guidelines on workplace health and safety issues to 
ensure that teleworkers have safe and adequate places to work off-site; 
GAO has fully implemented this practice. 

Category: Performance management; 

Practice: Ensure that the same performance standards, derived from a 
modern, effective, credible, and validated performance system, are 
used to evaluate both teleworkers and nonteleworkers; 
GAO has fully implemented this practice. 

Practice: Establish guidelines to minimize adverse impact on 
nonteleworkers before employees begin to work at alternate work sites; 
GAO has fully implemented this practice. 

Category: Managerial support; 

Practice: Obtain support from top management for a telework program; 
GAO has fully implemented this practice. 

Practice: Address managerial resistance to telework; 
GAO has fully implemented this practice. 

Category: Training and publicizing; 

Practice: Train all involved, including, at a minimum, managers and 
teleworkers; 
GAO has taken some steps to implement this practice. 

Practice: Inform workforce about the telework program; 
GAO has fully implemented this practice. 

Category: Technology; 

Practice: Conduct assessment of teleworker and organization technology 
needs; 
GAO has fully implemented this practice. 

Practice: Develop guidelines about whether organization or employees 
will provide necessary technology, equipment, and supplies for 
telework; 
GAO has fully implemented this practice. 

Practice: Provide technical support for teleworkers; 
GAO has fully implemented this practice. 

Practice: Address access and security issues related to telework; 
GAO has fully implemented this practice. 

Practice: Establish standards for equipment in the telework 
environment; 
GAO has fully implemented this practice. 

Category: Program evaluation; 

Practice: Establish processes, procedures, and/or a tracking system to 
collect data to evaluate the telework program; 
GAO has fully implemented this practice. 

Practice: Identify problems and/or issues with the telework program 
and make appropriate adjustments; 
GAO has fully implemented this practice. 

Source: GAO. 

[End of table] 

Subsequently, in 2007, GAO identified four practices agencies should 
adopt as they implement telework programs.[Footnote 6] These practices 
place greater focus on managing for program results. Our efforts to 
implement these practices are summarized as follows. 

1) Develop a business case for telework: The GAO business case for 
telework is summarized in our policy. The policy states that telework 
can (1) increase employee morale and productivity by helping employees 
balance their work and family life while at the same time achieving 
the goals of GAO; (2) improve GAO's ability to recruit and retain 
employees; (3) help to reduce traffic congestion, energy consumption, 
and air pollution; and (4) allow GAO to respond to the changing 
demands of the workplace and respond to emergency situations where 
physical access to a GAO building or work site may not be possible. 
Additionally, the workspace sharing and telework pilot program is an 
opportunity to reduce our infrastructure-related fixed costs by 
supporting a more mobile workforce. 

2) Establish measurable telework program goals. We established 
telework participation goals for 2012 based on our analysis of the 
data from the prior 5 years, as well as consideration of our 
Continuity of Operations Plan, employee views about telework, and 
anticipated participation in our field office pilot. 

3) Establish processes, procedures, and/or a tracking system to 
collect data to evaluate the telework program. We have established 
processes and procedures that govern our telework program and post 
information about our program on our intranet. Also, we have two 
systems that help us manage the program. One system supports the 
approval process for all telework applications. This system enables 
tracking and monitoring of telework applications by the Telework 
Managing Officer and produces certain reports. The other system--our 
time and attendance system--tracks actual participation data. 
Employees are required to enter job codes that identify time spent in 
a telework status on their bi-weekly time and attendance reports. 

4) Identify problems and/or issues with the telework program and make 
the appropriate adjustments. GAO's Telework Managing Officer is 
responsible for overseeing the telework application process for 
consistency with GAO policy. Also, the Telework Managing Officer 
conducts periodic reviews of telework data to identify trends and 
problem areas across the agency, as well as program changes needed to 
better comply with legal and regulatory requirements. In addition, we 
have a communications strategy that includes various methods of 
providing telework policy guidance to staff and managers to minimize 
problems. For example, we maintain an intranet page with information 
on our telework policy, technology resources, and frequently asked 
questions; we issue notices and advertise our annual telework open 
season, during which employees must submit telework applications; we 
hold briefings for staff and managers as well as answer individual 
questions throughout the year, as needed. 

Conclusion: 

GAO has embraced telework. Our first telework policy was implemented 
more than 15 years ago, and the available data show that our overall 
telework participation rates have increased each year over the last 5 
years. Our current telework program includes nearly all of the 
recommended practices and we have actions underway to implement the 
remaining ones. We have demonstrated our ability to support 
teleworkers during emergencies, and we have helped our employees 
balance work and family life. Our employees have said that the program 
is an important benefit. Building on our past data, we have 
established specific telework goals for calendar year 2012 that are 
expected to further increase participation while maintaining our 
capacity to perform our mission. In addition, as we manage in these 
times of fiscal constraints, we anticipate that telework will yield 
important cost savings. 

We are sending copies of this report to the Chairman and Ranking 
Members of the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental 
Affairs, United States Senate and Committee on Oversight and 
Government Reform, U.S. House of Representatives. 

In addition, this report is available at no charge on the GAO website 
at [hyperlink, http://www.gao.gov]. Our point of contact for this 
report is Carolyn M. Taylor, Chief Human Capital Officer, (202) 512-
2974 or taylorcm@gao.gov. 

Signed by: 

Gene L. Dodaro:
Comptroller General of the United States: 

[End of section] 

Appendix I: Objectives, Scope, and Methodology: 

This report addresses the requirements of the Telework Enhancement Act 
of 2010 and describes (1) the number and percentage of eligible GAO 
employees as well as the number and percentage of GAO employees who 
teleworked by frequency categories, (2) the participation goals for 
calendar year 2012 and the ways telework has supported other agency 
goals, and (3) the best practices employed in GAO's telework program. 
In addressing these objectives, we used definitions and terms that 
were used by the executive branch agencies in order to aid 
comparisons. Specifically, we used the calendar year because it 
provides the most complete cycle year of data and we adopted the OPM 
definition of a telework day as a day in which any time was charged to 
telework. 

To address the number and percentage of eligible employees, we first 
defined the term employee and then determined the total number of GAO 
employees. We defined "employee" pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 2501. We 
included all employees on GAO's rolls at any time during the calendar 
year who were eligible for telework. This included permanent staff, re-
employed annuitants, consultants appointed as mission support staff, 
intermittent staff, and interns. We then determined that the number of 
unique individuals employed by GAO during calendar year 2011 totaled 
3,409. The term "unique individuals" represents the total number of 
employees, as defined, on-board during the calendar year and thus 
available to telework during the annual cycle. The total number of 
unique individuals is distinct from the 3,159 full-time-equivalent 
(FTE) positions that we reported during fiscal year 2011. For example 
one FTE count could account for two unique part-time individuals who 
were available for telework. In another example, a new hire could 
count as the second unique individual to occupy a full-time position 
that was vacated during the fiscal year. 

To assess the number and percentage of employees who teleworked, and 
the frequency, we extracted data from our time and attendance system, 
webTA. This system allows time and attendance information, including 
telework hours, to be entered, verified, electronically approved, and 
collected for transmission to the National Finance System, GAO's 
payroll processing agent. We recognize that the accuracy of telework 
reporting is dependent upon the accuracy of employee self-
certification and supervisory verification. 

We analyzed all available webTA data from calendar years 2007 to 2011 
and the first four pay periods of calendar year 2012. This data 
extract consisted of multimillion records. We used Statistical 
Analysis System (SAS), which is an integrated system of software 
products provided by the SAS Institute Inc., to analyze telework 
participation per webTA data. Our SAS programming code was 
independently executed and reviewed, and output results were verified. 
For each GAO employee for each calendar year, we totaled the number of 
telework days and the number of pay periods worked. We then divided 
the number of telework days by the number of pay periods worked to 
obtain each employee's average level of telework participation in the 
calendar year, and placed each into one of 5 categories: an average of 
3 or more telework days per pay period, an average of 1 to 2 telework 
days per pay period, an average of 1 telework day per month, an 
average of less than 1 telework day per month (or occasional, 
episodic, or short term), and no telework days. For each year, we then 
aggregated the number of employees in each category and calculated the 
percentage of each category based on the total number of unique 
employees. 

To develop our participation goals for calendar year 2012, we analyzed 
the data for prior years and considered our other agency-wide 
programs, including GAO's strategic plan and our annual performance 
and accountability report.[Footnote 7] Specifically, we reviewed the 
trend of increasing telework participation at GAO over the past 5 
years and the telework participation for the first four pay periods of 
calendar year 2012. We then determined the projected number of 
"unique" staff in 2012, incorporating projected hires. This analysis 
is the basis for developing our telework goals for calendar year 2012. 
Also, we considered other agency objectives and goals. We considered 
the requirement to incorporate telework into the agency's GAO's 
Continuity of Operations Plan (5 U.S.C. §6504(d)(1)), and OPM's 
recommendation that all employees have routine experience teleworking 
in order to ensure familiarity with resources and procedures in 
support of emergency readiness. Further, our participation goals 
reflect the expectation that our workspace sharing and telework pilot 
in our field offices will be successful and help us reduce costs. 
Additionally, we reviewed comments from GAO's 2011 employee and 
customer service satisfaction surveys to gauge employee attitude and 
opinions regarding telework. These surveys are voluntary and conducted 
annually by GAO. 

To identify best practices we reviewed information from several 
sources. We reviewed reports from OPM[Footnote 8] and GSA,[Footnote 9] 
on incorporating telework into continuity or emergency planning and 
other best practices. Also we reviewed several prior GAO reports 
[Footnote 10] on telework programs in the federal government. 

We believe that the data and information used in this report provide a 
reasonable basis for our findings and conclusions. 

[End of section] 

Appendix II: GAO's Telework Policy: 

[Refer to PDF for image: policy document] 

U.S. Government Accountability Office 

Order 2300.5: 

June 5, 2012: 

Subject: Telework: 

Chapter 1. Introduction: 
1. Purpose, Scope, and Applicability: 
2. Supersession: 
3. References: 
4. Definitions: 
5. Basic Principles: 

Chapter 2. Eligibility Requirements and Approval Process: 
1. Employee Eligibility: 
2. Position Suitability: 
3. Needs of the Client and GAO: 
4. Types of Telework Arrangements: 
5. Approval of Telework Arrangements: 
6. Telework Application and Agreements: 
7. Change or Cancellation of Telework Arrangement: 

Chapter 3. Pay and Leave Issues: 
1. Work Schedules: 
2. Pay and Leave: 
3. Time and Attendance: 
4. Official Work Site: 
5. Closures and Emergency Situations: 
6. Workers’ Compensation: 

Chapter 4. Facilities, Records, and Equipment Issues: 
1. Facilities: 
2. Telecommunications, Records, and Equipment: 
3. Security and Restricting Access to Data and Records: 

Chapter 1. Introduction: 

1. Purpose, Scope, and Applicability. 

This order establishes the U.S. Government Accountability Office’s 
(GAO) telework policy that allows employees to work at an approved 
location away from their assigned office. 

2. Supersession. 

This order supersedes GAO Order 2300.5, GAO’s Telework Program,dated 
January 9, 2009. Changes have been made pursuant to The Telework 
Enhancement Act of 2010, to incorporate organizational changes; add a 
definitions section; make minor revisions to terms and improve 
consistent use of terms; clarify approving and reviewing officials for 
short-term telework arrangements; and ensure continuity of GAO 
operations during closures or emergency situations. 

3. References. 

a. Public Law 111-292, The Telework Enhancement Act of 2010 (the Act). 

b. GAO Order 0410.1, GAO Records Management Program. 

c. GAO Order 0510.2, Information Systems Security Policy. 

d. GAO Order 0645.1, Limited Personal Use of Government-Provided 
Office and IT Equipment, Including Internet. 

e. GAO Order 0910.1, GAO Security Program. 

f. GAO Order 2306.1, Employment of Individuals with Disabilities. 

g. GAO Order 2500.1, Compensation Administration in the Government 
Accountability Office. 

h. GAO Order 2540.2, Pay Administration in the Attorney Performance-
Based Compensation System. 

i. GAO Order 2540.3, Pay Administration in the Analyst Performance-
Based Compensation System. 

j. GAO Order 2540.4, Pay Administration in the Administrative 
Professional and Support Staff Performance-Based Compensation System. 

k. GAO Order 2550.1, Compensation for Overtime Work. 

I. GAO Order 2620.1, GAO Maxiflex Alternative Work Schedules Program. 

m. GAO Order 2630.1, Leave Policies and Procedures. 

n. GAO Order 2751.1, Discipline. 

o. GAO Order 2810.1, Line-of-Duty Injury Benefits for Government 
Accountability Office Employees under the Federal Employees' 
Compensation Act. 

p. GAO Directive 0910.1-03, Information Security Requirements for 
Sensitive Information. 

q. GAO Order 0130.7, Office of Emergency Preparedness (OEP). 

r. OEP Continuity Program Document. 

4. Definitions. 

For the purpose of this order, the following definitions apply: 

a. Telework: The term telework or teleworking refers to a work 
flexibility arrangement under which an employee performs the duties 
and responsibilities of such employee's position, and other authorized 
activities, from an approved alternate work site (i.e., home or other 
satellite work location) other than the location from which the 
employee would otherwise work. The term telework does not include work 
performed while in an official travel status or on a temporary duty 
(TDY) assignment. 

b. Teleworker: An employee who works at an alternate work site under 
the terms and conditions of a telework agreement either on a regular 
and reoccurring schedule for a minimum of 1 day a pay period or on an 
episodic basis when the day or number of hours per day vary during the 
pay period. 

c. Telework agreement: A written agreement that outlines the terms and 
conditions of the telework arrangement, signed by the employee and 
appropriate officials in the employee's mission area/staff office, 
which is mandatory in order for any employee to participate in 
telework. 

d. Official work site/duty station: The official work site is the 
location of the regular work site or duty station for the employee's 
position of record (i.e., the place where the employee would normally 
work absent a telework agreement). An employee who teleworks is 
expected to spend the majority of his or her time at his or her 
official work site, except in temporary short-term arrangements such 
as when the employee is recovering from an injury or illness that 
prevents the employee from commuting to that site. 

e. Unit Head: The term unit head refers to managing directors, 
regional directors, or heads of mission support offices or staff 
offices. 

f. Manager: The term manager refers to assistant director, assistant 
general counsel, and  MS-II or MS-I. 

g. Telework Managing Officer (TMO): The term TMO under the Act refers 
to a senior official of an agency with direct access to the head of an 
agency who is devoted to policy development and implementation related 
to the telework program, advisor to agency leadership, including the 
Chief Human Capital Officer, a resource for managers and employees, 
and the primary contact for the Office of Personnel Management on 
telework matters. 

5. Basic Principles.  

a.  Telework can (1) increase employee morale and productivity by 
helping employees balance their work and family life while at the same 
time achieving the goals of GAO; (2) improve GAO's ability to recruit 
and retain employees; (3) help reduce traffic congestion, energy 
consumption, and air pollution; and (4) allow GAO to respond to the 
changing demands of the workplace and respond to emergency situations 
where physical access to a GAO building or work site may not be 
possible. 

b.  When reviewing the suitability of a telework arrangement, GAO will 
consider the needs of the client and GAO's organizational needs. 
Therefore, an employee must be flexible and willing to adjust his or 
her telework arrangements to meet these needs. 

c. An employee who teleworks should work the majority of his or her 
hours at his or her official work site, usually located in the GAO 
building or at a GAO work site, except in temporary short-term 
arrangements such as when the employee is recovering from injury or 
illness that prevents the employee from commuting to that office. 

d. Telework is primarily an arrangement established to facilitate the 
accomplishment of work and is not an employee entitlement. 

e. Employee participation is voluntary except under specifically 
designated emergency situations. 

f. An employee must have an approved and current telework agreement to 
telework. 

g. An employee must adhere to the terms of his or her telework 
agreement. 

h. An employee requesting a telework arrangement must submit an 
application to his or her designated unit head (managing directors, 
regional directors, or heads of mission support offices or staff 
offices). A new application must be submitted at least once per 
calendar year during the annual renewal process or upon expiration of 
the agreement. 

i. As part of the arrangement application, the teleworking employee 
applicant and manager (assistant director, an assistant general 
counsel, or an MS-II or MS-I) must agree to the tasks to be performed 
and other specifics of a telework arrangement. If the manager changes, 
the employee and the manager should discuss any existing telework 
arrangements and affirm that any existing approved telework 
arrangements are still valid. If there is a need to change any item in 
an existing arrangement or if the employee's unit changes, a new 
application must be completed and submitted for approval. There is no 
automatic right of an employee to continue the arrangement in his or 
her current or new unit. A new agreement also is necessary if there 
are significant changes to any item in the agreement (i.e., changes to 
type of telework arrangement, telework days, alternate work site, 
etc.). 

j. Either the employee or the unit head, subject to TMO review, may 
cancel the telework arrangement via the automated telework system. If 
the unit head cancels the telework arrangement, the unit head or 
manager will give appropriate notice to allow the employee time to 
make alternative arrangements. 

k. Teleworking does not change the terms and conditions of employment 
(i.e., work scheduling, leave, etc.). An employee working under 
telework arrangements is subject to the same performance and conduct 
standards and performance appraisal systems as other employees. An 
employee who is teleworking must protect equipment and records and 
maintain the necessary level of computer and other security. A 
teleworking employee must be available to management, co-workers, and 
others for employer business by telephone, voice mail, or e-mail for 
contact during his or her official duty hours. The employee must 
provide the manager with a telephone number where he or she can be 
reached. The employee must check frequently for any voice mail or e-
mail messages. 

l. A telework arrangement must not place an undue burden on 
nontelework staff. Work should be distributed equitably among 
teleworkers and nonteleworkers in the unit. 

m. While telework arrangements may provide valuable assistance in the 
management of work-family schedules and family responsibilities, 
telework may not be used as a substitute for dependent care. To the 
extent that dependent care interferes with working at home, the 
employee is responsible for recording the appropriate leave charges 
for the time during which care is provided. 

Chapter 2. Eligibility Requirements and Approval Process: 

1. Employee Eligibility. 

An employee who has performed at "meets expectations" or better on all 
competencies for which the employee was rated on his or her most 
recent performance appraisal is eligible to participate and may submit 
a request for a telework arrangement. An employee who has not yet 
received a performance appraisal at GAO must be performing at "meets 
expectations" at the time the employee requests a telework arrangement 
on all competencies for which the employee will be rated in the next 
performance appraisal. 

An employee in a performance improvement opportunity period is not 
eligible to request a telework arrangement. In addition, the employee 
must not have any conduct issues that would have a negative impact on 
a telework arrangement (see the Act and GAO Order 2751.1,
Discipline, for a discussion of conduct issues). 

2. Position Suitability. 

The nature of the employee's work must be suitable for teleworking. 
Work that requires analysis, development of written products, 
telephone-intensive tasks, or computer-oriented tasks are examples of 
work that would be feasible for a telework arrangement. Positions that 
may not be suitable are those that require: 

a. face-to-face contact; 

b. frequent access to material that cannot be removed from the regular 
office, such as classified documents; or; 

c. a level of computer or other security that cannot be duplicated at 
the alternate work site. 

A position would not be suitable if the absence of the employee from 
the office would adversely affect the performance of other employees. 

3. Needs of the Client and GAO. 

In considering an application for a telework arrangement, GAO will 
consider the effect the arrangement could have on meeting the needs of 
the client and the agency's institutional needs. 

4. Types of Telework Arrangements. 

There are three types of telework arrangements. 

a. Continuing arrangements. 

In a continuing arrangement, the employee works at home (or other 
approved location) on a regular, recurring basis as part of the 
regular work schedule. There must be sufficient ongoing work available 
to support this type of arrangement. In the event that unforeseen 
dependent care situations arise while an employee is teleworking, the 
employee should record appropriate leave charges for the time spent 
providing the dependent care. 

b. Episodic arrangements. 

In episodic arrangements, the employee teleworks on an "as-needed" 
basis when it is advantageous for the employee to complete segments of 
a project away from the office. Some tasks might be completed more 
easily at home without the interruptions typically experienced in the 
office. Other situations may occur when the manager and employee agree 
that an episodic arrangement would be beneficial. This type of 
arrangement could accommodate circumstances such as inclement weather, 
a need to be at home waiting for repair services, or an unforeseen 
need to provide dependent care. If dependent care interrupts the 
employee's work time, the employee should claim the hours worked and 
charge the appropriate leave code for the remaining hours. For 
emergency preparedness planning purposes, all employees are encouraged 
to have an approved episodic arrangement on file. 

c.  Short-term arrangements. 

Short-term arrangements are time-limited arrangements to accommodate 
an employee's special circumstance (i.e., personal hardship) in the 
interest of accomplishing work. These arrangements are for a specific 
period of time (for example, 30 days, 3 months, etc.), not to exceed 1 
year for the same event. Special circumstances include, but are not 
limited to, convalescence from an illness or injury or situations 
where the office is not usable. 

5. Approval of Telework Arrangements.  

All telework arrangements require approval prior to the employee 
teleworking.  

a.  Continuing telework applications must be submitted to the unit 
head during an announced "open season." Requests may be submitted 
outside the open season if circumstances occur to warrant the request. 
The unit head makes a recommendation for approval or disapproval that 
is forwarded to the TMO, with a final decision by the TMO to ensure 
consistency with agency orders and policies. The outcome of the review 
process will be noted on the application, and the applicant will be 
notified. If the request for a continuing arrangement is denied, the 
reasons for the denial will be documented and the request will be 
forwarded to the Telework Managing Officer (TMO) for review to ensure 
consistency with agency orders and policies. If the request is denied, 
the reasons for the denial will be communicated to the employee. 

b.  Episodic telework applications must be submitted to the unit head. 
An employee who would like to telework occasionally on an "as-needed" 
basis (episodic arrangement) may apply at any time. Approval authority 
may be delegated to a level no lower than an assistant director, an 
assistant general counsel, or an MS-II manager. The outcome of the 
review process will be noted on the application and the applicant will 
be notified. If the request for an episodic or short-term arrangement 
is denied, the reasons for the denial will be communicated to the 
employee. 

c.  Short-term telework applications must be submitted to the unit 
head. An employee who seeks a telework arrangement to accommodate a 
special circumstance for a single continuous period of time (short-
term arrangement) may apply at any time. The unit head makes a 
recommendation for approval or disapproval that is forwarded to the 
TMO, with a final decision by the TMO to ensure consistency with 
agency orders and policies. The outcome of the review process will be 
noted on the application, and the applicant will be notified. If the 
request for a short-term arrangement is denied, the reasons for the 
denial will be communicated to the employee. 

6. Telework Application and Agreements.  

a.  An employee applies to telework by completing the application for 
the Telework Program that is available on the GAO intranet. The 
employee must agree to and complete electronic GAO Form 558, Telework 
Application/Terms and Conditions, according to the instructions 
provided and submit it online. Log in and password security 
protections apply. 

b.  By submitting the request, the employee agrees to the terms and 
conditions of the telework arrangement that cover such items as the 
voluntary nature of the arrangement; official work site; performance 
requirements; leave approval; overtime; proper use and safeguards of 
government property; safety standards that apply to the alternate work 
site; and policies and procedures for capturing, managing, and 
controlling audit documentation, agency records, and classified or 
sensitive information. 

c.  Applicants should provide information covering the nature of the 
work activities; tasks to be performed; agreement ending date, if any; 
the frequency and methods of contact required between the employee, co-
workers and managers; and days and hours (may be specific or general) 
to be worked at the alternate work site. The description of the work 
to be performed while at the alternate site may be general or more 
specific as the situation requires. 

d.  An employee who has been approved for an episodic telework 
arrangement is not required to submit a new form each time the 
employee teleworks. However, the employee must obtain oral or written 
permission from the employee's manager as far in advance as possible 
for each episode prior to teleworking. In unexpected circumstances, 
such as inclement weather or other emergencies, it may be difficult to 
reach a manager. If the employee has work available that can be done 
at home, the employee is required to make a good faith effort to 
contact the manager to request approval, such as by e-mail or voice 
mail message with a brief description of the work to be performed. 

e.  As part of the arrangement application, the teleworking employee 
applicant and manager should agree to the tasks to be performed and 
other specifics of a telework arrangement. If the manager changes, the 
employee and new manager should discuss any existing telework 
arrangements and affirm that any existing approved telework 
arrangements are still valid. If there is a need to change any item in 
an existing arrangement or if the employee's unit changes, a new 
application must be completed and submitted for approval. A new 
agreement also is necessary if there is a significant change (i.e., 
changes to type of telework arrangement, telework days, alternate work 
site, etc.) to any item in the agreement. 

f.  If an employee requests a short-term telework arrangement for 
medical reasons, the employee should complete that portion of GAO Form 
558 and provide medical documentation per GAO Order 2630.1, Leave 
Policies and Procedures, and GAO Order  2306.1, Employment of 
Individuals with Disabilities. 

g. An applicant will receive an e-mail acknowledgment that summarizes 
his or her request. The applicable unit head and manager designated by 
the applicant will receive a notice of submission. When the TMO 
completes the review of the requested telework arrangement, the 
applicant will be notified as to the outcome. 

7. Change or Cancellation of Telework Arrangement. 

The approving official has the right to recommend a change or 
cancellation of a telework arrangement for such reasons as a decline 
in the employee's performance, changes in duties or client or 
organizational needs that require the employee's continued presence, 
or failure of the employee to adhere to the agreement or follow 
regulations or procedures. For short-term and continuing arrangements, 
applications that have been disapproved or canceled will be forwarded 
to the TMO for review and final decision. The employee will be 
notified via the automated telework system, and sufficient time will 
be provided to make alternate plans. The employee may terminate the 
arrangement at any time. 

Chapter 3. Pay and Leave Issues: 

1. Work Schedules. 

a. A teleworking employee is permitted to tailor his or her work 
hours, including earning carryover credit hours with management 
approval and within the framework permitted by GAO's maxiflex policy 
(see GAO Order 2620.1, GAO Maxiflex Alternative Work Schedules
Program). 

b. A teleworking employee may not work overtime or "compensatory time 
in lieu of overtime" or additional credit hours apart from the 
approved maxiflex schedule without prior management approval. 

c. An employee on a continuing or episodic telework arrangement should 
schedule the majority of his or her approved maxiflex work schedule 
time during the pay period at their official work site. In 
consultation with the Human Capital Office and the Reasonable
Accommodation Coordinator, the approving official may make exceptions 
to this policy. For example, a medical condition may prevent the 
employee from commuting to the GAO office. 

2. Pay and Leave. 

Existing rules on pay and leave administration apply to a telework 
employee. Pay policies are contained in GAO Order 2500.1, Compensation 
Administration in the Government Accountability Office; GAO Order 
2540.2, Pay Administration in the Attorney Performance-Based 
Compensation System; GAO Order 2540.3, Pay Administration in the Analyst
Performance-Based Compensation System; and GAO Order 2540.4, Pay 
Administration in the Administrative Professional and Support Staff 
Performance-Based Compensation System. Policies and procedures on 
leave administration are contained in GAO Order 2630.1, Leave
Policies and Procedures. 

3. Time and Attendance. 

Time and attendance will be documented in accordance with current 
policies and procedures. The employee must use the appropriate time 
and attendance code to record time spent teleworking. The employee is 
responsible for ensuring that time and attendance is accurately
recorded, including the hours worked at the official work site. A 
manager is responsible for certifying the time and attendance record. 
Management determines the reasonableness of the work output for the 
time spent. 

4. Official Work Site. 

The official work site/duty station for an employee who teleworks is 
the employee's main or reporting office. An employee who teleworks is 
expected to spend the majority of his or her approved maxiflex work 
schedule time during the pay period at his or her official work site, 
except under an approved short-term telework arrangement, such as when 
the employee is recovering from an injury or illness that prevents the 
employee from commuting to that office. The location where the work is 
performed is designated as the alternate work site. GAO will not 
reimburse the employee for local travel costs that are solely a result 
of the telework arrangement. 

5. Closures and Emergency Situations. 

If the GAO headquarters building or field office location becomes 
inaccessible, a teleworking employee at an alternate work site is 
required to continue working if the inaccessibility occurs on his or 
her normal telework day, unless the emergency adversely affects the 
alternate work site (i.e., disruption of electricity, loss of heat, 
etc.), or if the teleworking employee faces a personal hardship that 
prevents him or her from working successfully at the alternate work 
site, or if the teleworker's duties are such that he or she cannot 
continue to work due to a loss of contact with the official work site.
If GAO closes the headquarters building or a field location becomes 
inaccessible, an employee with a telework agreement may be required to 
telework during the closure even if it is not his or her normal 
telework day, unless the emergency adversely affects the alternate 
work site (i.e., disruption of electricity, loss of heat, etc.), if 
the teleworking employee faces a personal hardship that prevents him 
or her from working successfully at the telework site, or the 
teleworker's duties are such that he or she cannot continue to work 
due to a loss of contact with the official work site. 

When an emergency or other unforeseen circumstance, such as loss of 
electricity or connectivity, affects the alternate work site, but not 
the official work site, the circumstances and timing dictate the 
course of action. Options include having the employee report to the 
official work site or other approved location, approving the use of 
leave, or granting excused absence (administrative leave). If the 
employee was scheduled to report to the official work site when the 
building becomes inaccessible, excused absence may be granted, as it 
would be to a nonteleworking employee. 

In certain emergency situations, the Comptroller General or designee 
may issue a general telework approval to all employees in the affected 
unit or location to promote continuity of operations. 

6. Workers' Compensation. 

An employee working at an alternate work site is covered under the 
Federal Employees Compensation Act. Applicable policy is contained in 
GAO Order 2810.1, Line-of-Duty Injury Benefits for Government 
Accountability Office Employees under the Federal Employees 
Compensation Act. 

Chapter 4. Facilities, Records, and Equipment Issues: 

1. Facilities. 

a. The employee must have a safe and adequate place to work off site 
that is free from interruptions and provides the necessary level of 
security and protection for government property. 

b. GAO may inspect the off-site workspace to ensure compliance with 
safety requirements. Such inspections will be scheduled in advance and 
made during normal working hours. 

c. GAO will not be responsible for any operating costs associated with 
an employee using his or her home as an alternate work site, such as 
home maintenance, insurance, or utility expenses. 

2. Telecommunications, Records, and Equipment. 

a. Whenever possible, GAO work must be captured in the GAO network. 
Documentation and records (whether paper or electronic) may be used, 
but not maintained, off site and must be integrated into the 
appropriate GAO paper file or electronic repository. Specific 
precautions need to be taken when audit documentation and other 
sensitive materials are outside GAO-controlled space or the safeguards 
provided within GAO's LAN. When unattended, sensitive materials need 
to be secured in a key-locked desk, cabinet, or other key-locked 
location. If arrangements cannot be made to adequately safeguard 
sensitive materials in such locations, the appropriate managing 
director is informed so that suitable measures can be taken to protect 
the documentation (see GAO Order 0910.1, GAO Security Program; GAO 
Order 0510.2, Information Systems Security Policy; and GAO Directive 
0910.1-03, Directive: Information Security Requirements for Sensitive 
Information; also see para. 3 of this chapter for additional details). 

b. All GAO business-related files and documentation must be managed in 
accordance with GAO's established policies and procedures for 
capturing, managing, and controlling audit documentation, agency 
records, and classified or sensitive information. 

c. The use of GAO-issued equipment by employees is preferred. 

d. An employee may, with advance management approval, be reimbursed 
for business-related phone calls or provided with a government-issued 
phone card. 

e. GAO will service and maintain any government-owned equipment issued 
to a telework employee. If GAO provides government-owned computers and 
telecommunications equipment for home use, GAO retains ownership and 
control of hardware, software, and data. All property loaned to the 
employee must be brought in for any required inventory control. The 
telework employee may be held liable if equipment is damaged through 
negligence. 

f.  All files, papers, and machine-readable materials created using 
GAO-owned equipment are property of the U.S. government. 

g.  An employee may, consistent with GAO Order 0645.1, Limited 
Personal Use of Government-Provided Office and IT Equipment, Including 
Internet, use government-owned equipment for limited personal use. 
Limited personal use means that the equipment must be used during 
nonwork time, must not interfere with office needs or result in a loss 
of productivity, and must involve only minimal additional expense to 
GAO or result in only normal wear and tear on the equipment. An 
employee must not permit anyone else to use his or her government-
owned equipment. In addition, unauthorized software may not be loaded 
on such equipment. 

h.  GAO will provide necessary office supplies. 

3. Security and Restricting Access to Data and Records. 

a.  Classified information may not be taken to, accessed from, or 
processed at an alternate work site. 

b.  The processing of unclassified sensitive data is not recommended 
on off-site systems. The data may be processed on off-site systems 
only when ISTS officials certify that the system adequately protects 
records and that such use conforms to applicable laws, regulations, 
and policies. 

c.  An employee with access to records that contain sensitive 
information, including records subject to GAO's privacy regulations, 
must maintain appropriate administrative, technical, and physical 
safeguards to ensure the security of the records. 

d.  The authorization of the manager is required when sensitive 
information, whether in hard copy or electronic media form, is used by 
an employee working at an alternate work site. In addition, the 
manager must ensure that the telework employee knows the appropriate 
and necessary safeguards. 

e.  Official, irreplaceable, and permanent records may not be taken to 
the alternate work site. This would include, among other things, 
historical documents, official personnel folders, and one-of-a-kind 
correspondence files. 

f.  An employee must safeguard access to the GAO network, including 
the protection of the SecurID passcode and token and any other 
passwords used to access the network. 

g.  When away from the office, an employee must secure his or her 
notebook computer at all times; never leave it unattended; and use 
hotel security safes or vaults when on travel. The ISTS Web site 
contains information about employee responsibilities regarding GAO 
equipment as stated in GAO Order 0510.2, Information Systems Security 
Policy. 

h.  Portable media such as CDs, DVDs, flash drives, and hard drives 
must be encrypted or appropriately safeguarded. The ISTS Web site 
contains information about employee responsibilities regarding storage 
media as stated in GAO Order 0510.2, Information Systems Security 
Policy. 

[End of section] 

Appendix III Telework Participation Rates from Calendar Year 2007 to 
2011: 

Table 3: GAO Telework Participation Rates from Calendar 2007-2011: 

Calendar year: 2007; 
3 or more days per period (Average): 99; 2.8%; 
1-2 days per pay period (Average): 468; 13.3%; 
1 day per month (Average): 416; 11.8%; 
Less than 1 day per month (Average)[A]: 1,069; 30.4%; 
Average none: 1,463; 41.6%; 
Total staff eligible to telework: 3,515; 
Staff who teleworked: 2,052; 58.4%. 

Calendar year: 2008; 
3 or more days per period (Average): 135; 3.8%; 
1-2 days per pay period (Average): 575; 16.0%;
1 day per month (Average): 518; 14.4%; 
Less than 1 day per month (Average)[A]: 1,086; 30.2%; 
Average none: 1,277; 35.6%; 
Total staff eligible to telework: 3,591; 
Staff who teleworked: 2,314; 64.4%. 

Calendar year: 2009; 
3 or more days per period (Average): 210; 5.6%; 
1-2 days per pay period (Average): 755; 20.2%; 
1 day per month (Average): 625; 16.7%; 
Less than 1 day per month (Average)[A]: 1,123; 30.0%; 
Average none: 1,029; 27.5%; 
Total staff eligible to telework: 3,742; 
Staff who teleworked: 2,713; 72.5%. 

Calendar year: 2010; 
3 or more days per period (Average): 285; 7.6%; 
1-2 days per pay period (Average): 922; 24.6%; 
1 day per month (Average): 695; 18.5%; 
Less than 1 day per month (Average)[A]: 1,035; 27.6%; 
Average none: 818; 21.8%; 
Total staff eligible to telework: 3,755; 
Staff who teleworked: 2,937; 78.2%. 

Calendar year: 2011; 
3 or more days per period (Average): 360; 10.6%; 
1-2 days per pay period (Average): 1,008; 29.6%; 
1 day per month (Average): 636; 18.7%; 
Less than 1 day per month (Average)[A]: 862; 25.3%; 
Average none: 543; 15.9%; 
Total staff eligible to telework: 3,409; 
Staff who teleworked: 2,866; 84.1%. 

Source: GAO. 

[End of table] 

[End of section] 

Appendix IV: GAO Contact and Staff Acknowledgments: 

GAO Contact: 

Carolyn M. Taylor, (202) 512-2974 or taylorcm@gao.gov: 

Staff Acknowledgments: 

In addition to the contact named above, Kenneth Carroll, Deputy Chief 
Human Capital Officer; Masha Pastuhov-Pastein, Management Analyst; 
Shannon Schmidt, Human Capital Specialist; and Marvin Miller, 
Management Analyst, led the development of this report. Sara Cytron, 
Alice Feldesman, Amy Hale, William R. Mowbray, and Jean Nazzaro made 
significant contributions to this report. George Duncan verified the 
information in the report. 

[End of section] 

Footnotes: 

[1] The Telework Enhancement Act of 2010 requires GAO to report 
annually to Congress on the following: 

the degree of participation by employees teleworking during the period 
covered by the report, including the total number of employees in the 
agency, the number and percent of employees in the agency who are 
eligible to telework; and the number and percent of eligible employees 
in the agency who are teleworking (I) 3 or more days per pay period, 
(II) 1 or 2 days per pay period, (III) once per month, (IV) on an 
occasional, episodic, or short-term basis; 

the method for gathering telework data; 

if the total number of employees teleworking is 10 percent or higher 
or lower than the previous year, the reasons for the positive or 
negative variation; 

the goal for increasing participation to the extent practicable or 
necessary for the next reporting period, as indicated by the percent 
of eligible employees teleworking in each frequency category; 

an explanation of whether or not GAO met the goals for the last 
reporting period and if not, what actions are being taken to identify 
and eliminate barriers to maximizing telework opportunities for the 
next reporting period; 

an assessment of the progress made in meeting participation rate goals 
during the reporting period and other agency goals relating to 
telework such as the impact of telework on emergency readiness, energy 
use, recruitment and retention, performance, productivity, and 
employee attitudes and opinions regarding telework; and 

the best practices in GAO's telework program. 

[2] GAO employees are represented by the International Federation of 
Professional and Technical Engineers (IFPTE), Local 1921. 

[3] There were 3.409 individuals employed by GAO at some time during 
calendar year 2011. We defined the term employee in accordance with 5 
U.S.C. section 2105. The total number of employees does not equal the 
number of full-time equivalent positions reported by GAO for 2011, as 
it does not take into consideration the departure of employees from 
the organization or the assignment of multiple individuals to a single 
position. 

[4] The annual internal customer satisfaction survey on administrative 
services gathers information on how well GAO's internal operations 
help employees get their jobs done and improve employees' quality of 
work life. GAO's annual employee feedback survey helps measure how 
well we are supporting our staff and providing an environment that 
fosters professional growth. 

[5] GAO, Human Capital: Further Guidance, Assistance and Coordination 
Can Improve Federal Telework Efforts, GAO-03-679 (Washington, D.C.: 
July 18, 2003.) 

[6] GAO, Human Capital: Telework Programs Need Clear Goals and 
Reliable Data, GAO-08-261T (Washington, D.C.: Nov. 6, 2007). 

[7] GAO, 2012 Update to GAO Strategic Plan, 2010-2015 (Washington, 
D.C.: February 2012); and Strategic Plan 2010-2015, GAO-10-559SP 
(Washington, D.C.: July 2010); and Performance and Accountability 
Report, GAO-11-2SP (Washington, D.C.: Nov. 15, 2010). 

[8] OPM, OPM Guide to Telework in the Federal Government (Washington, 
D.C.: April 2011); and Status of Telework in the Federal Government: 
Report to Congress (Washington, D.C.: February 2011). 

[9] GSA, Telework Best Practices, (Washington, D.C.: October 2001). 

[10] GAO, Federal Telework: Program Measurement Continues to Confront 
Data Reliability Issues, GAO-12-519 (Washington, D.C.: Apr. 19, 2012); 
Emergency Preparedness: Agencies Need Coordinated Guidance on 
Incorporating Telework into Emergency and Continuity Planning, GAO-11-
628 (Washington, D.C.: July 2011); Human Capital: Greater Focus on 
Results in Telework Programs Needed, GAO-07-1002T (Washington, D.C.: 
June 2007); Human Capital: Telework Programs Need Clear Goals and 
Reliable Data, GAO-08-261T (Washington, D.C.: Nov. 6, 2007); Human 
Capital: Key Practices to Increasing Federal Telework, GAO-04-950T 
(Washington, D.C.: July 2004); and Human Capital: Further Guidance, 
Assistance, and Coordination Can Improve Federal Telework Efforts, GAO-
03-679 (Washington, D.C.: July 2003). 

[End of section] 

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