About Statewide Telework (Telecommuting)

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.

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.

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Resources

State Policy

Policy

 

It is the policy of the State of California to encourage the use of teleworking as a management work option.  Chapter 1389 Statutes of 1990 (AB 2963 – 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. As practiced today, appropriately planned and managed, telework is a viable work option that can benefit managers, employees, and customers of the State of California.

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.
Agency Responsibility

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 policies and procedures.  Telework must be tailored to the particular environment in which it will operate.

 Agency programs differ so their telework programs may also differ. These differences include:

o   The nature of the services the agency provides to the public and others.
o   The geographic dispersion of the agency.
o   The level of decentralization of agency management.

Note: Those agencies that have ongoing, but informal, telework programs are encouraged to formalize those programs.


Telework Programs

 

Where determined to be 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 " The State of California Telework – Telecommuting Program; 1983 – 21st Century”, (January 2003).

To assist state agencies in creating formal telework programs, the state has created a model program template, called the Telework Program Policy and Procedures (2010 Statewide Telework Model Program) that agencies are encouraged to use.

 

Each agency is responsible for managing and operating its telework program.  The generally low additional costs to establish and maintain a telework program will be borne by the agency. 

Model Program

Model Program

For agencies that do not currently have a formal telework program, this document can be used as a template to create their own program. This model program is designed to help agencies implement a complete, formal program expediently, and meet the requirements of the state and bargaining entities. Used as a template, this Model Program (policy and procedures) has been vetted with both CalHR (formerly Department of Personnel Administration) and bargaining groups for use by state agencies in creating a Telework Program.  Any changes to the template that are not ministerial in nature must be approved by the agency’s bargaining groups and CalHR.

Telework Program Policy and Procedures January 2010 (Template)

How to use this template:

1.    Read the document “Telework Program Policy and Procedures January 2010”: This is your template for your agency’s future plan.

2.    Using the Search and Replace function in MSWord, insert your Agency or Department Name in the “Telework Program Policy and Procedures Jan. 2010” document, where ever “[Name of State Entity]” occurs.

3.    Have your agency head adopt the document as written.

4.    Submit a copy to CalHR.

5.    Follow the procedures and policies in the program document.
State References
Examples of Departmental Policies and Guidelines
Federal and Other State Resources

 
California Telework Documents
Recent documents

Historical documents (late 1980s - early 1990s) include:

Telework and Emergency Management
A New Understanding of Handling Business Interruption.
Books, Periodicals, and Newsletters

The Green Guide to Telecommuting
For some people the office is a home away from home, so why can't your home be your office away from the office?
Few people have to be convinced on the perks of telecommuting...well, few employees. For employers, on the otherhand, telecommuting can be a scary thought; one filled with visions of mid-afternoon TV show marathons, endless perusing of the fridge and more than a few games of Solitaire. But love it, like it or fear it, we may all be experiencing more telecommuting in the coming years. Read More...
Non-government telework resources
produced by the DGS Information Technology Services Division