[Congressional Bills 115th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 6551 Introduced in House (IH)]

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115th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 6551

    To amend title 5, United States Code, to improve Federal agency 
             teleworking programs, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             July 26, 2018

 Mr. Connolly (for himself and Mr. Sarbanes) introduced the following 
 bill; which was referred to the Committee on Oversight and Government 
                                 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 Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Telework Metrics and Cost Savings 
Act''.

SEC. 2. IMPROVEMENTS TO FEDERAL AGENCY TELEWORKING PROGRAMS.

    (a) Definition of Telework.--Section 6501(3) of title 5, United 
States Code, is amended by inserting after ``performs'' the following: 
``(on a periodic or full-time basis)''.
    (b) Telework Participation Goals.--Chapter 65 of title 5, United 
States Code, is amended as follows:
            (1) In section 6502--
                    (A) in subsection (b)--
                            (i) in paragraph (4), by striking ``and'' 
                        at the end;
                            (ii) in paragraph (5), by striking the 
                        period at the end and inserting a semicolon; 
                        and
                            (iii) by adding at the end the following:
            ``(6) include annual goals for increasing the percent of 
        employees of the executive agency participating in 
        teleworking--
                    ``(A) three or more days per pay period;
                    ``(B) one or 2 days per pay period;
                    ``(C) once per month; and
                    ``(D) on an occasional, episodic, or short-term 
                basis; and
            ``(7) include methods for collecting data on, setting goals 
        for, and reporting costs savings to the executive agency 
        achieved through teleworking, consistent with the guidance 
        developed under section 2(c) of the Telework Metrics and Cost 
        Savings Act.''; and
                    (B) by adding at the end the following:
    ``(d) Notification for Reduction in Teleworking Participation.--Not 
later than 30 days before the date that an executive agency implements 
or modifies a teleworking plan that would reduce the percentage of 
employees at the agency who telework, the head of the executive agency 
shall provide written notification, including a justification for the 
reduction in telework participation and a description of how the agency 
will pay for any increased costs resulting from that reduction, to--
            ``(1) the Director of the Office of Personnel Management;
            ``(2) the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform of 
        the House of Representatives; and
            ``(3) the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental 
        Affairs of the Senate.
    ``(e) Prohibition on Agency-Wide Limits on Teleworking.--An agency 
may not prohibit any delineated period of teleworking participation for 
all employees of the agency, including the periods described in 
subparagraphs (A) through (D) of subsection (b)(6). The agency shall 
make any teleworking determination with respect to an employee or group 
of employees at the agency on a case-by-case basis.''.
            (2) In section 6506(b)(2)--
                    (A) in subparagraph (F)(vi), by striking ``and'' at 
                the end;
                    (B) in subparagraph (G), by striking the period at 
                the end and inserting a semicolon; and
                    (C) by adding at the end the following:
                    ``(H) agency cost savings achieved through 
                teleworking, consistent with the guidance developed 
                under section 2(c) of the Telework Metrics and Cost 
                Savings Act; and
                    ``(I) a detailed explanation of a plan to increase 
                the Government-wide teleworking participation rate 
                above such rate applicable to fiscal year 2016, 
                including agency-level plans to maintain or improve 
                such rate for each of the teleworking frequency 
                categories listed under subparagraph (A)(iii).''.
    (c) Guidance.--Not later than 90 days after the date of the 
enactment of this Act, the Director of the Office of Personnel 
Management, in collaboration with the Chief Human Capital Officer 
Council, shall establish uniform guidance for agencies on how to 
collect data on, set goals for, and report cost savings achieved 
through, teleworking. Such guidance shall account for cost savings 
related to travel, energy use, and real estate.
    (d) Technical Correction.--Section 6506(b)(1) of title 5, United 
States Code, is amended by striking ``with Chief'' and inserting ``with 
the Chief''.
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