|
Appropriately planned and managed, telework is a viable work option that can benefit managers, employees, and customers of the State of California. Telework, called telecommuting in statute, is also an important means by which we can help reduce air pollution, traffic and parking congestion, and demand for office space.
This Site
This Web site provides information, policy, resources, and requirements for State Telework for California State agencies.
Policy
It is the policy of the State of California to encourage the use of teleworking as a management work option. AB 2963, Statutes of 1990 (Klehs), adding Sections 14200-14203 to the California Government Code, authorized State agencies, boards, and commissions (agencies) to establish telework programs as an element of transportation management programs.
Department of General Services
DGS has statutory authority to coordinate and facilitate the inter-agency exchange of telework information, as well as develop and update policy, procedures, and guidelines to assist agencies in their efforts to implement telework.
Agency Responsibility
Statute directs agencies to review their work operations and establish telework programs in work areas where they have identified telework as both practical and beneficial.
Agencies participating in the State's telework program are responsible for establishing their own specific program. Telework must be tailored to the particular environment in which it will operate.
- Agency programs differ, so their telework programs will also differ and affect the form of the program. These differences include:
- The nature of the services the agency provides to the public and others.
- The geographic dispersion of the agency.
- The level of decentralization of agency management.
Implementation
Where determined to be as both practical and beneficial, agency telework programs should be created and implemented following the guidelines established by the Telecommuting Advisory Group, a multi-agency task force, as provided in their report " Telecommuting Work Group: Information Guidelines and Model Policy, June 1992". The model policy is provided on this site.
- Note: those agencies that have ongoing, but informal, telework programs are encouraged to formalize those programs through adoption of a telework policy.
- All agencies should perform a risk analysis/information security assessment before implementing their Telework program to identify the vulnerabilities associated with its implementation and ensure they are reduced or eliminated by creating a mitigation strategy. Periodic reviews should be conducted to ascertain no new risks to the agency or program due to changes in business or technology environment.
Each agency is responsible for managing and operating their own telework program. The generally low additional costs to establish and maintain a telework program will be borne by the agency.
Benefits
A good telework program facilitates temporary limited duty, increases the State's ability to respond to emergencies, amplifies effective use of new technologies within state service, and improves employee morale resulting in increased job effectiveness.
David Fleming
Telework Program Consultant
(916) 376-5074
|
