Telework Metrics and Cost Savings Act

I 116TH CONGRESS 2D SESSION H. R. 6108 To amend title 5, United States Code, to improve Federal agency teleworking programs, and for other purposes. IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES MARCH 5, 2020 Mr. CONNOLLY (for himself, Mr. SARBANES, and Ms. WEXTON) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Oversight and Reform A BILL To amend title 5, United States Code, to improve Federal agency teleworking programs, and for other purposes. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa- 1 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 2 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 3 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Telework Metrics and 4 Cost Savings Act’’. 5 SEC. 2. IMPROVEMENTS TO FEDERAL AGENCY TELE- 6 WORKING PROGRAMS. 7 (a) DEFINITION OF TELEWORK.—Section 6501(3) of 8 title 5, United States Code, is amended by inserting after 9 VerDate Sep 11 2014 23:19 Mar 18, 2020 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H6108.IH H6108 jbell on DSKJLSW7X2PROD with BILLS 2 •HR 6108 IH ‘‘performs’’ the following: ‘‘(on a periodic or full-time 1 basis)’’. 2 (b) TELEWORK PARTICIPATION GOALS.—Chapter 65 3 of title 5, United States Code, is amended as follows: 4 (1) In section 6502— 5 (A) in subsection (b)— 6 (i) in paragraph (4), by striking 7 ‘‘and’’ at the end; 8 (ii) in paragraph (5), by striking the 9 period at the end and inserting a semi- 10 colon; and 11 (iii) by adding at the end the fol- 12 lowing: 13 ‘‘(6) include annual goals for increasing the 14 percent of employees of the executive agency partici- 15 pating in teleworking— 16 ‘‘(A) three or more days per pay period; 17 ‘‘(B) one or 2 days per pay period; 18 ‘‘(C) once per month; and 19 ‘‘(D) on an occasional, episodic, or short- 20 term basis; and 21 ‘‘(7) include methods for collecting data on, set- 22 ting goals for, and reporting costs savings to the ex- 23 ecutive agency achieved through teleworking, con- 24 sistent with the guidance developed under section 25 VerDate Sep 11 2014 23:19 Mar 18, 2020 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H6108.IH H6108 jbell on DSKJLSW7X2PROD with BILLS 3 •HR 6108 IH 2(c) of the Telework Metrics and Cost Savings 1 Act.’’; and 2 (B) by adding at the end the following: 3 ‘‘(d) NOTIFICATION FOR REDUCTION IN TELE- 4 WORKING PARTICIPATION.—Not later than 30 days before 5 the date that an executive agency implements or modifies 6 a teleworking plan that would reduce the percentage of 7 employees at the agency who telework, the head of the ex- 8 ecutive agency shall provide written notification, including 9 a justification for the reduction in telework participation 10 and a description of how the agency will pay for any in- 11 creased costs resulting from that reduction, to— 12 ‘‘(1) the Director of the Office of Personnel 13 Management; 14 ‘‘(2) the Committee on Oversight and Reform 15 of the House of Representatives; and 16 ‘‘(3) the Committee on Homeland Security and 17 Governmental Affairs of the Senate. 18 ‘‘(e) PROHIBITION ON AGENCY-WIDE LIMITS ON 19 TELEWORKING.—An agency may not prohibit any delin- 20 eated period of teleworking participation for all employees 21 of the agency, including the periods described in subpara- 22 graphs (A) through (D) of subsection (b)(6). The agency 23 shall make any teleworking determination with respect to 24 VerDate Sep 11 2014 23:19 Mar 18, 2020 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H6108.IH H6108 jbell on DSKJLSW7X2PROD with BILLS 4 •HR 6108 IH an employee or group of employees at the agency on a 1 case-by-case basis.’’. 2 (2) In section 6506(b)(2)— 3 (A) in subparagraph (F)(vi), by striking 4 ‘‘and’’ at the end; 5 (B) in subparagraph (G), by striking the 6 period at the end and inserting a semicolon; 7 and 8 (C) by adding at the end the following: 9 ‘‘(H) agency cost savings achieved through 10 teleworking, consistent with the guidance devel- 11 oped under section 2(c) of the Telework Metrics 12 and Cost Savings Act; and 13 ‘‘(I) a detailed explanation of a plan to in- 14 crease the Government-wide teleworking partici- 15 pation rate above such rate applicable to fiscal 16 year 2016, including agency-level plans to main- 17 tain or improve such rate for each of the tele- 18 working frequency categories listed under sub- 19 paragraph (A)(iii).’’. 20 (c) GUIDANCE.—Not later than 90 days after the 21 date of the enactment of this Act, the Director of the Of- 22 fice of Personnel Management, in collaboration with the 23 Chief Human Capital Officer Council, shall establish uni- 24 form guidance for agencies on how to collect data on, set 25 VerDate Sep 11 2014 23:19 Mar 18, 2020 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00004 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H6108.IH H6108 jbell on DSKJLSW7X2PROD with BILLS 5 •HR 6108 IH goals for, and report cost savings achieved through, tele- 1 working. Such guidance shall account for cost savings re- 2 lated to travel, energy use, and real estate. 3 (d) TECHNICAL CORRECTION.—Section 6506(b)(1) 4 of title 5, United States Code, is amended by striking 5 ‘‘with Chief’’ and inserting ‘‘with the Chief’’. 6 Æ VerDate Sep 11 2014 23:19 Mar 18, 2020 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00005 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6301 E:\BILLS\H6108.IH H6108 jbell on DSKJLSW7X2PROD with BILLS