HOUSE BILL NO. 1240 Offered January 11, 2006 Prefiled January 11, 2006 A BILL to amend and reenact § 2.2-203.1 and to amend the Code of Virginia by adding a section numbered 2.2-203.1:1, relating to the Secretary of Administration; telecommuting and alternative work schedules for state employees; effectiveness. ---------- Patrons-- Hugo and Scott, J.M. ---------- Referred to Committee on Science and Technology ----------

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:

1. That § 2.2-203.1 of the Code of Virginia is amended and reenacted and that the Code of Virginia is amended by adding a section numbered 2.2-203.1:1 as follows:

§ 2.2-203.1. Secretary to establish telecommuting policy.

A. The Secretary, in cooperation with the Secretary of Technology and in consultation with the Council on Technology Services, shall establish a comprehensive statewide telecommuting and alternative work schedule policy under which eligible employees of state agencies, as determined by state agencies, may telecommute or participate in alternative work schedules, and the Secretary shall periodically update such policy as necessary.

B. The telecommuting and alternative work schedule policy described in subsection A shall include, but not be limited to, model guidelines, rules and procedures for telecommuting and participation in alternative work schedules, and identification of the broad categories of positions determined to be ineligible to participate in telecommuting and the justification for such a determination. Such policy may also include an incentive program, to be established and administered by the Department of Human Resources Resource Management, that may encourage state employees to telecommute or participate in alternative work schedules and that may encourage the state agencies' management personnel to promote telecommuting and alternative work schedules for eligible employees.

C. The Department of Human Resource Management shall notify state employees by email or other method deemed appropriate by the Department of the statewide telecommuting and alternative work schedule policy.

§ 2.2-203.1:1. Secretary to measure effectiveness of telecommuting policy.

A. The Secretary, in cooperation with the Secretary of Technology and in consultation with the Council on Technology Services, shall measure the effectiveness of the comprehensive statewide telecommuting and alternative work schedule policy.

B. Telework effectiveness shall be defined as the ratio of the number of workers and teleworkers assigned to a central workplace compared to the number of workstations present at that central workplace, with a higher ratio defining higher telework effectiveness.

C. The head of each agency shall set annual targets for the increase of telework effectiveness. By July 1, 2007, each state agency shall have a goal of not less than 1.25 workers to every workspace; by July 1, 2008, each state agency shall have a goal of not less than 1.5 workers to every workspace; by July 1, 2009, each state agency shall have a goal of not less than 2 workers to every workspace.

D. The head of each agency shall report annually to the Secretary on the status of any programs or policies developed and implemented pursuant to this section. Any agency head failing to comply with the requirements of this section shall forfeit 1% of the moneys appropriated for the operation of the agency as provided in the appropriation act. The Secretary shall so notify the Comptroller, who shall take such moneys and deposit them into the Literary Fund.

E. As used in this section, the terms "telecommuting," and "central workplace" shall mean the same as such terms are defined in § 2.2-2817.1.

“Workstation” means a work location that provides at a minimum a chair, a work surface, and a telephone, used by a single employee to perform normal work activities.