Telework: why this new push to increase participation?
Because of our declining air quality, Central Texas may be designated "non-attainment" by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). To improve the air, City of Austin is encouraging employees to reduce vehicle miles traveled (VMTs) by 15%. To accomplish this, all City Departments have written Ozone Action Day Plans, employees have made efforts to reduce VMTs by changing commute patterns, and many of us have established alternative work schedules. All of this has been helpful…but we can do even more.
The City of Austin has partnered with other cities and counties in our region to further reduce Ozone. As part of our region's agreement with the EPA, we are expanding the City of Austin Telework Program. We will report our participation levels and VMT reductions to the EPA on a regular basis - and we want both to increase dramatically! 
We have had a telework program for some years at the city. We have analysed and revised procedures and documents, and details are now available on this site. As part of our more formalized program, we offer special training sessions for both supervisors and employees. The training is actually part of the sign up procedure now, which will allow all teleworkers access to the same important information. Please look over the "How Do I Sign up" section, and follow those instructions. 
"Reducing the amount of time workers spend in traffic is a tangible way that each and every one of us can help improve our environment."
Christie Todd Whitman, EPA Administrator
How do I Sign Up to Telework?
NOTE: PLEASE FOLLOW THESE STEPS WHETHER YOU ARE A BRAND NEW TELEWORKER, OR HAVE BEEN TELEWORKING AT THE CITY BEFORE. We will need the new forms on file. Thanks! 
Step 1:
The employee submits the completed Telework Request Form and Telework Agreement Form to his/her Supervisor for approval and signatures.
(this form includes a self-checklist on safety of work space) 
Step 2:
The supervisor reviews the request and, if appropriate, returns the approved, signed Request and Agreement Forms to the employee (keeping a copy for employee personnel file) 
Step 3:
The employee signs up for a training session: see TRAIN Intranet site (keyword telework), or access from the telework Intranet site. 
Step 4:
The employee attends the training session, bringing the completed forms with him/her, and hands them in to the instructor. 
Step 5:
The Telework Program Manager submits the Request form to the Information Systems Department (ISD) Help Desk for setup process 
Step 6:
The employee begins teleworking and the supervisor monitors the employee's performance and work schedule, making adjustments, as necessary. 
Potential Telework Functions
Jobs acceptable for teleworking are those that can be performed at an alternate site without diminishing the quality of the work or disrupting the productivity of the office. Examples include, but are not limited to: 
Accounting
Advertising
Architecture
Auditing
Batch work
Bookkeeping
Business by phone
CalculatingData entry
Design data entry
Dictating
Drafting
Editing
Engineering
Evaluations
Field work
Financial analysis	Graphics
Journalist/Newsletter editing
Marketing
Planning
Preparing budgets
Preparing/monitoring contracts
Programming
Project management
Reading
Record keeping
Research
Spreadsheet analysis
Technical writing
Telephone operator
Typing
Word processing
Writing	

ANSWERS TO FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
•	Why this new push to increase participation in our Telework Program? 
•	But we've been doing fairly well. Why this extra effort? 
•	Who is responsible for approving an employee's request to telework? 
•	Does an employee have a right to telework? Could an employee be forced to work at home? 
•	Can teleworking help an employee with child or other dependent care needs? 
•	Won't the employee's work suffer without direct, onsite supervision? 
•	How can the supervisor monitor work performance when the employee is not physically present? 
•	Can teleworkers follow an alternative work schedule? 
•	What about the impact on the office when some employees are working at an alternative worksite? 
•	What equipment will the employee need at the home based worksite and who will provide it? 
•	Do all teleworkers work with high-tech equipment? 
•	Who is responsible for maintaining and servicing City or privately owned equipment used at the alternative worksite? 
•	Who pays for any increase in home utility expenses incurred by employees as a result of teleworking? 
•	Are business phone calls made from the home reimbursable? 
•	Who is liable for work related injuries and/or damages at the alternative worksite? 
•	Why are teleworkers required to keep records of the miles they don't travel to their offices on teleworking days? 
•	What City employment guidelines and policies are applicable to teleworkers? 
 
Question - Why this new push to increase participation in our Telework Program?
Answer - Air quality in Central Texas has been declining in recent years as a result of increased polluting activities in this area. In 1999, the amounts of ground-level ozone recorded at regional monitoring sites exceeded the maximum amount allowed under the Federal Clean Air Act. For violating this health-based standard, the Central Texas region is now subject to a non-attainment designation by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). 

For some time, the City of Austin has actively been encouraging their employees to reduce their VMT's (vehicle miles traveled) by 15%. All City Departments have written Ozone Action Day Plans, employees have attended a variety of commute information events (and made efforts to reduce emissions by changing their commute patterns), and many of us have established alternative work schedules. All of this has been of help. 

Now, we have a further incentive to increase our efforts. Mayor Garcia, along with elected officials of 5 counties and 6 other cities in the Austin-San Marcos MSA (Metropolitan Statistical Area) have signed a first of its kind commitment with the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) to voluntarily take measures to reduce the ozone levels in the Central Texas region. This plan is called the O3 (Ozone) Flex Plan, and details the measures planned by the various entities to reduce ozone levels. 

This is an important step, as our area has been deemed "near nonattainment" by the EPA based on the Federal Clean Air Standards and is close to being called a nonattainment area. If this happens, numerous punitive regulations could be put into place here, including withdrawing of highway funds and implementation of an Inspection/Maintenance Program for vehicles (currently in place in both Houston and Dallas areas). 

Telework is an efficient, effective way to reduce traffic congestion and improve air quality. One of COA's commitments to the EPA is to steadily increase our number of Teleworkers over the next few years. We will be reporting our participation levels and subsequent reduced emissions to the EPA on a regular basis. 
Question - But we've been doing fairly well. Why this extra effort?
Answer - We have a further incentive now because the City of Austin has made additional commitments, in partnership with other cities and counties in our region, to the EPA to further reduce Ozone. The elected officials (mayors, county commissioners, etc.) from 6 cities and 5 counties have signed the "O3(Ozone) Flex Plan". As part of our city's commitment, we are expanding our telework program at the city. We will be reporting our participation levels and subsequent reduced emissions to the EPA on a regular basis. 
Question - Who is responsible for approving an employee's request to telework?
Answer - Each department sets up its own approval process, but generally the immediate supervisor must agree to a specific employee's request. 
Question - Does an employee have a right to telework? Could an employee be forced to work at home?
Answer - No, to both questions. Subject to any applicable union agreement, management decides whether the employee can work off-site, depending on the nature of the position and the characteristics of the employee. Management has the right to end an employee's use of the teleworking option if, for example, the employee's performance declines or if the arrangement no longer meets the organization's needs. 
Question - Can teleworking help an employee with child or other dependent care needs?
Answer - Teleworking can provide valuable assistance with dependent care. Time saved commuting to work can be spent with family members. For example, a parent may need less after school care for a school age child, or an adult child may have time to take an aging parent to the doctor. Telework may be the perfect option for parents on maternity or parental leave. However, telework is not a substitute for child or elder care. 
Question - Won't the employee's work suffer without direct, onsite supervision?
Answer - The opposite is more often the case, partly because the employee working at home has fewer interruptions and distractions and partly because the individual has a strong incentive to demonstrate the value of working at home. 
Question - How can the supervisor monitor work performance when the employee is not physically present?
Answer - Managers can measure what the employee produces by examining the product or results of the employee's efforts. It is also helpful to use project schedules, key milestones, regular status reports, and team reviews. Supervisors may call employees who are working at home during core business hours. In addition, if deemed necessary, the supervisor may with advance notice, during teleworking hours, visit the teleworker at home on business matters. 
Question - Can teleworkers follow an alternative work schedule?
Answer - Yes. In fact, teleworking work schedules should be sufficiently flexible to permit periodic work schedule adjustments. Initial teleworking schedules may require trial and error adjustments to determine the optimal schedule to meet the needs of the employee and the organization. 
Question - What about the impact on the office when some employees are working at an alternative worksite?
Answer - Management must establish guidelines to minimize adverse impacts on other staff members before employees begin to work at alternative worksites. The overall interests of the office must take precedence over working at alternative sites. A supervisor may require an employee to work at the main worksite on a day scheduled for telework if the needs of the office so require (i.e. important meetings-though some meetings may be easily attended via telephone/speakerphone). Teleworking should not put a burden on staff remaining in the office. An equitable distribution of workload should be maintained, and methods should be instituted to ensure that main office employees are not saddled with the teleworker's responsibilities. 
Question - What equipment will the employee need at the home based worksite and who will provide it?
Answer - The current Telework Program for the City provides an opportunity for employees to exchange their automobiles for their home computers. Employees who participate in the Telework Program may choose to use their own equipment, phone lines and Internet service provider to support telework. Departments are not required to provide equipment at home based work sites but may choose to do so. 
Question - Do all teleworkers work with high-tech equipment?
Answer - No. While technology can be very helpful for many (perhaps most) teleworkers, a simple telephone will suffice for some. For example, if an employee has particular projects to complete which lend themselves well to working from home, a computer and/or COA connectivity isn't needed, and it is acceptable to the supervisor that he/she not check email for a day at a time, it's possible to telework if you don't own a computer. 
Question - Who is responsible for maintaining and servicing City or privately owned equipment used at the alternative worksite?
Answer - Generally, the City will be responsible for the service and maintenance of City-owned equipment. Teleworkers using their own equipment are responsible for its service and maintenance. Remember: if you are using City owned equipment, you must follow the same guidelines as for any other City-owned property. It is for use for City of Austin business ONLY. 
Question - Who pays for any increase in home utility expenses incurred by employees as a result of teleworking?
Answer - Work-at-home arrangements may increase an employee's home utility costs. Balanced against these increases are potential savings to the employee resulting from reduced gasoline and vehicle maintenance, child care (during the period the employee would otherwise be commuting to and from work), meals, and clothing expenses. Potential cost and savings to the employee and the City cannot be viewed in isolation from each other. A department may not use appropriated funds to pay for items of personal expenses unless there is specific statutory authority. 
Question - Are business phone calls made from the home reimbursable?
Answer - An employee may be reimbursed for business related long distance phone calls over the employee's personal phone. Departments may also provide employees with City telephone credit cards, or specify that long distance phone calls be made from the main office on teleworking days, unless the call is urgent. 
Question - Who is liable for work related injuries and/or damages at the alternative worksite?
Answer - City employees suffering from work related injuries and/or damages at the alternative worksite are covered under the Federal Employees Compensation Act (workers' compensation). Employees are responsible for ensuring that the home workplace is a hazard-free, safe working environment. Please see the City of Austin Personnel Procedures for telework for more detail. 
Question - Why are teleworkers required to keep records of the miles they don't travel to their offices on teleworking days?
Answer - Mayor Garcia, along with elected officials of 5 counties and 6 other cities in the Austin-San Marcos MSA (Metropolitan Statistical Area) have signed a first of its kind commitment with the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) to voluntarily take measures to reduce the ozone levels in the Central Texas region. This is an important step, as our area has been deemed "near nonattainment" of the Federal Clean Air Standards by the EPA and is close to being called a nonattainment area. If this happens, numerous punitive regulations could be put into place here, including withdrawing of highway funds and implementation of an Inspection/Maintenance Program for vehicles (currently in place in both Houston and Dallas areas). One of COA's commitments to the EPA is to steadily increase our number of Teleworkers over the next few years. We are required to report our progress every 6 months. In order to prepare accurate vehicle emissions information, we need to keep records of the decrease in employees' vehicle miles traveled. 
Question - What City employment guidelines and policies are applicable to teleworkers?
Answer - All. 
Questions and Concerns of Supervisors and Managers
•	Why this new push to increase participation in our Telework Program? 
•	But there's no way I can have staff members out of the office full-time. 
•	Isn't this just sort of a "fad", a "new technology" that is a lot of talk? 
•	I'm nervous about my employees being offsite. How do I know they will really work while teleworking? 
•	Can my staff demand to telework? 
•	Can I make my staff telework? 
•	How can the supervisor monitor work performance when the employee is not physically present? 
 
Question - Why this new push to increase participation in our Telework Program?
Answer - Air quality in Central Texas has been declining in recent years as a result of increased polluting activities in this area. In 1999, the amounts of ground-level ozone recorded at regional monitoring sites exceeded the maximum amount allowed under the Federal Clean Air Act. For violating this health-based standard, the Central Texas region is now subject to a non-attainment designation by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). 

For some time, the City of Austin has actively been encouraging their employees to reduce their VMT's (vehicle miles traveled) by 15%. All City Departments have written Ozone Action Day Plans, employees have attended a variety of commute information events (and made efforts to reduce emissions by changing their commute patterns), and many of us have established alternative work schedules. All of this has been of help. 

Now, we have a further incentive to increase our efforts. Mayor Garcia, along with elected officials of 5 counties and 6 other cities in the Austin-San Marcos MSA (Metropolitan Statistical Area) have signed a first of its kind commitment with the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) to voluntarily take measures to reduce the ozone levels in the Central Texas region. This plan is called the O3 (Ozone) Flex Plan, and details the measures planned by the various entities to reduce ozone levels. 

This is an important step, as our area has been deemed "near nonattainment" by the EPA based on the Federal Clean Air Standards and is close to being called a nonattainment area. If this happens, numerous punitive regulations could be put into place here, including withdrawing of highway funds and implementation of an Inspection/Maintenance Program for vehicles (currently in place in both Houston and Dallas areas). 

Telework is an efficient, effective way to reduce traffic congestion and improve air quality. One of COA's commitments to the EPA is to steadily increase our number of Teleworkers over the next few years. We will be reporting our participation levels and subsequent reduced emissions to the EPA on a regular basis. 
Question - But there's no way I can have staff members out of the office full-time. 
Answer - We did an extensive Telework Pilot Project, and concluded that though sometimes employees are suitable to be full time teleworkers, both supervisors and employees prefer more in-office interaction. As we are expanding the City of Austin Telework program, we are encouraging part time teleworking. That could mean once or twice a week, or even once a month for a regularly scheduled project.
Question - Isn't this just sort of a "fad", a "new technology" that is a lot of talk?
Answer - No, it's actually "old". Since 1990, the number of teleworkers in this country has increased from 4 million to almost 20 million. Hundreds of government and private entities have found it a valuable program to implement. It increases productivity (much more uninterrupted work time), improves employee morale, and often means dollars saved.
Question - I'm nervous about my employees being offsite. How do I know they will really work while teleworking? 
Answer - How do you know they are "really" working in their cubicles? How often do you even see them during the course of a day? You know if they are working because they meet deadlines and complete their job tasks. The same rules apply for teleworkers…they should be given tasks that are measurable, and you may even find they complete them more quickly. And, studies have shown that teleworking increases productivity. 

You can measure what the employee produces by examining the product or results of the employee's efforts. It is also helpful to use project schedules, key milestones, regular status reports, and team reviews. If you choose, you may have the employee set up a task log, showing their planned work and the results completed. Supervisors may call employees who are working at home during core business hours. In addition, if deemed necessary, the supervisor may with advance notice, during teleworking hours, visit the teleworker at home on business matters. 
Question - Can my staff demand to telework?
Answer - No, it is ultimately a decision for the supervisor and manager. It is not an employee right.
Question - Can I make my staff telework?
Answer - No, some people do not have job tasks that work for teleworking (i.e. police officer, ems technician, parks maintenance workers). Also, some people aren't "suited" to telework. They may not like to work in isolation, or not be organized and self-motivated to complete their tasks without close guidance.
Question - How can the supervisor monitor work performance when the employee is not physically present?
Answer - Managers can measure what the employee produces by examining the product or results of the employee's efforts. It is also helpful to use project schedules, key milestones, regular status reports, and team reviews. Supervisors may call employees who are working at home during core business hours. In addition, if deemed necessary, the supervisor may with advance notice, during teleworking hours, visit the teleworker at home on business matters.