VA Touts Results for Telework Day

Virginia Gov. Tim Kaine's office today promoted the results of the Commonwealth's Telework Day, which took place on Aug. 3. According to Kaine's spokesperson Lisa Torphy Telework Exchange, 95 percent of the more than 4,200 employees who took part in the event were Virginia-based employees, including more than 2,200 federal employees.

Kaine's office also sent a release claiming Virginians saved about $113,000 and avoided releasing 75.89 tons of pollutants into the air by not driving to work. More than two-thirds -- 69 percent -- of participants said they were more productive than on a typical day at the office, while 91 percent said they are now more likely to telework in the future.

The event is part of a governmentwide push to increase the amount of teleworking opportunities for federal employees, particularly in the Washington, DC Metro area. Last year, in order to set an example for other agencies, the General Services Administration set a goal of having 50 percent of the agency's workers telework at least one day per week by 2010. As of May, 43 percent of employees were teleworking and the agency seemed on track to fulfill that goal.

Office of Personnel Management Director John Berry unveiled a new telework policy in April and promised to set governmentwide standards for managers, an attempt at navigating the particular management challenges stemming from having employees work remotely. Lawmakers also have taken up the issue, with Rep. Gerry Connolly, D-Va., whose district includes a large number of federal employees, among those leading the calls for increased adoption of the policy.