GAO-05-1055R Agency Telework Methodologies 

United States Government Accountability Office

Washington, DC 20548 

September 27, 2005 

The Honorable Frank R. Wolf 

Chairman 

Subcommittee on Science, the Departments of 

State, Justice, and Commerce, and 

Related Agencies 

Committee on Appropriations 

House of Representatives 

Subject: Agency Telework Methodologies: Departments of Commerce, Justice, 

State, the Small Business Administration, and the Securities and Exchange 

Commission

Dear Mr. Chairman: 

Telecommuting, or telework—meaning work that is performed at an employee’s 

home or at a work location other than a traditional office—has gained widespread 

attention over the past decade in both the public and private sectors, offering a 

variety of potential benefits to employers, employees, and society. On July 29, 2005, 

we briefed your office on the results of our review of telework methodologies at the 

Departments of Commerce (DOC), Justice (DOJ), State, the Small Business 

Administration (SBA), and the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). This 

report transmits the information provided during that briefing. (See enclosure.) 

Specifically, you had asked us to provide information on and analysis of the 

methodology that each of the five agencies used to define employees eligible to 

telecommute, the methods each agency used to make telecommuting opportunities 

available to eligible employees and what those opportunities are, and how each 

agency defines and measures telecommuting participation rates. 

Background 

The Fiscal Year 2005 Appropriations Act for the Departments of Commerce, Justice, 

State, the Judiciary, and Related Agencies1

 required the five agencies—DOC, DOJ, 

State, SBA, and SEC—to certify that telecommuting opportunities were made 

available to 100 percent of the eligible workforce. Of the total amounts appropriated 

to each agency, $5 million was to be available only upon such certification. The 

legislation further required that each of those agencies provide the House and Senate 

 

1

 Pub. L. No. 108-447, Division B, Section 622 
Committees on Appropriations with quarterly reports on the status of their 

telecommuting programs, including the number of employees eligible for, and 

participating in, such programs. You asked us to provide information on and analysis

of the five agencies’ telework programs to help the subcommittee in its review of 

these legislatively required certifications and quarterly reports.

Results in Brief 

We found that at DOC, DOJ, and State, groups of employees are not eligible to

telework because of their positions, while SEC and SBA make all positions eligible. 

For example, at State, employees are excluded if they have to handle classified 

information in their positions. All five agencies exclude individual employees from 

teleworking on the basis of other criteria, such as employee performance. However, 

when the agencies recently reported the total number of employees who are eligible 

to telework, they did not subtract the number of individuals who were excluded on

the basis of these criteria. 

All five agencies used at least some active methods to make telework opportunities

available to employees who were eligible. These methods ranged from sending each 

eligible employee an individual notification to sending all employees a broadcast 

message from the agency head. We could not confirm, however, whether all of the 

units in two of the agencies did more than post telework information on their internal

Web sites. 

None of the agencies could report the actual number of employees who telework and 

how often they do so because none had fully implemented the capability to track this

through their time and attendance systems, although DOC and DOJ are implementing 

such a system. Instead, DOJ has reported the number of participants based on a 

survey of supervisors who are expected to track teleworkers; the other four agencies 

have reported the number of participants based on the number of employees with 

signed telework agreements in place. At DOC, however, these agreements do not 

include ad hoc teleworkers because they are not required to have telework 

agreements. 

Some of the agencies had additional initiatives under way. For example, SBA and 

DOC required that employees be trained before participating. SEC and DOJ officials 

said that the agencies were currently working to address managerial resistance to 

participation by providing supervisors and managers with awareness training to help 

them see how telework can work. 

Because of the lack of consistency among the five agencies with regard to how they 

determine eligibility to telework, make opportunities available, and measure 

employee participation, Congress should determine ways to promote more consistent

definitions and measures related to telework. In addition, Congress should continue 

to consider ways to encourage agencies to promote telework. 

2 GAO-05-1055R Agency Telework Methodologies 
Scope and Methodology

The presentation we prepared (see enclosure) was based on our review and analysis 

of the Fiscal Year 2005 Appropriations Act’s legislative requirements, agency 

documentation, other official documents, and statements by agency officials. For our 

presentation, we obtained and reviewed each agency’s telework policy as well as the 

certifications and quarterly telework status reports submitted to the appropriations

committees, as required by law. We also interviewed the telework coordinators at

each of the five agencies. We did not independently verify the information provided 

by the agencies. 

We conducted our work from May through July 2005 in accordance with generally 

accepted government auditing standards. We provided the five agencies with a draft 

of the information included in the enclosure and incorporated their comments as 

appropriate. 

- - - - - 

We will make copies of this report available to other interested parties upon request. 

The report is also available at no charge on the GAO Web site at http://www.gao.gov. 

If you or your staff have any questions or need additional information about this 

report, please contact me at (202) 512-6510 or at larencee@gao.gov. Contact points 

for our Offices of Congressional Relations and Public Affairs may be found on the last

page of this report. Key contributors to this report were William Doherty, Assistant 

Director; Joyce Corry; and Sonya Phillips. 

Sincerely yours, 

Eileen R. Larence 

Director, Homeland Security and Justice 

Enclosure 

3 GAO-05-1055R Agency Telework Methodologies 
4 GAO-05-1055R Agency Telework Methodologies 

Agency Telework 

Methodologies

Departments of Commerce, Justice, State, the

Small Business Administration, and the 

Securities and Exchange Commission

ENCLOSURE
5 GAO-05-1055R Agency Telework Methodologies 

2

GAO Objectives, Scope, and 

Methodology

• Agencies covered

• Department of Commerce (DOC)

• Department of Justice (DOJ)

• Department of State (State)

• The Small Business Administration (SBA)

• The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC)

• In response to your request, our objectives were to provide information on

and analysis of:

• the methodology each of the five agencies used to define its eligible

workforce,

• the methods each agency used to make telecommuting opportunities

available to eligible employees and what those opportunities are, and

• how each agency defines and measures telecommuting participation

rates.

ENCLOSURE
6 GAO-05-1055R Agency Telework Methodologies 

3

GAO Objectives, Scope, and 

Methodology (continued)

• Information and analysis included in this

presentation are based on agency documentation, 

other official documents, and/or statements by 

agency officials. GAO did not independently verify

this information. 

• We conducted our review in accordance with 

generally accepted government auditing standards.

ENCLOSURE
7 GAO-05-1055R Agency Telework Methodologies 

4

2005 Appropriations Act Requirements

Regarding Eligibility and Participation

Requirements for each of the five agencies:

• Must certify by February 8, 2005 that telecommuting

opportunities are made available to 100 percent of the

telecommuting-eligible workforce

• Of the total amounts appropriated to each agency, $5 

million shall be available only upon such certification

• Must provide quarterly reports to the Committees on

Appropriations including the number of federal

employees eligible for and participating in

telecommuting programs

ENCLOSURE
8 GAO-05-1055R Agency Telework Methodologies 

5

What GAO Found

Determining Eligibility • At DOC, DOJ, and State, groups of employees are not eligible to telework

because of their positions, while SEC and SBA made all positions eligible.

• At State, DOJ and DOC employees are excluded for mission-related 

reasons, such as having to handle classified information.

• SEC decides each telework request on a case-by-case basis, in part, to reduce managerial resistance.

• All agencies exclude individual employees from teleworking based on 

certain criteria, such as performance or the need for face-to-face 

interaction with clients.

• None of the agencies report how many individual employees at any given 

time are excluded from teleworking based on these criteria, so employees 

excluded from telework for such reasons are included in the count of

eligible employees that agencies report to the Congress.

ENCLOSURE
9 GAO-05-1055R Agency Telework Methodologies 

6

What GAO Found

Making Opportunities Available

• All agencies used at least some proactive methods to

make telework opportunities available to employees 

who were eligible. These methods ranged from 

sending each eligible employee an individual

notification to sending all employees a broadcast 

message from the agency head. However, DOC and

DOJ had not confirmed whether all of their components 

had done more than simply posting information on the 

Intranet.

ENCLOSURE
10 GAO-05-1055R Agency Telework Methodologies 

7

What GAO Found

Measuring Participation

• None of the agencies has fully implemented the capability to track who is actually

teleworking and how frequently through their time and attendance systems.

• DOC and DOJ are currently implementing such a system. Until their systems

are fully implemented:

• DOJ is reporting the number of telework participants based on an annual

survey of supervisors conducted by the individual components’ telework

coordinators. For this survey, the supervisors are expected to track 

teleworkers working for them.

• DOC is counting the number of signed telework agreements for core

teleworkers only.

• State, SBA, and SEC are not implementing such a system and report the

number of signed telework agreements when reporting participating employees. 

State reports core and recurring situational agreements.

• SBA and DOC require that employees be trained before participating.

• SEC and DOJ officials said that the agencies are currently working to address 

managerial resistance to participation by providing supervisors and managers with 

awareness training to help them see how telework can work.

ENCLOSURE
11 GAO-05-1055R Agency Telework Methodologies 

8

What GAO Found

Observations • Congress may want to consistently define the types of telework 

participants and eligible employees it would like agencies to report— such as for core and situational telework—and decide whether they

should be reported together or separately.

• Congress may want to ask OPM, working through the Chief Human 

Capital Officers Council and in consultation with GAO:

• to develop a set of terms, definitions, and measurements that would best

meet the needs of the Committees on Appropriations, other congressional

committees, agencies, and other stakeholders in assessing and 

encouraging the progress agencies are making in enhancing their telework

programs and 

• to provide consistent direction to the agencies in applying these to particular

agency circumstances.

• Congress may want to consider ways to encourage agencies to 

promote telework.

ENCLOSURE
12 GAO-05-1055R Agency Telework Methodologies 

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Agency Telework Profiles

• Program Data

• Methodologies for:

• Determining Eligibility

• Making telework opportunities available 

• Measuring participation

• Observations

ENCLOSURE
13 GAO-05-1055R Agency Telework Methodologies 

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DOC-Reported Telework Information

• Legislative requirements

• Telework Certification submitted to appropriations committees: 2/15/2005

• Certifying official: Chief Financial Officer and Assistant Secretary for Administration

• FY 2005 2nd Quarter Telework Report in review at DOC 

and not yet submitted to appropriations committees: for January through March 2005

• Agency information from FY 2005 2nd Quarter Telework Report1 (as of 3/2005)

• Total number of employees: 39,829

• Employees eligible to telework: 29,530 

• Percent of total number of employees who are eligible: 74%

• Participating telework employees: 11,931 

• Percent of eligible employees participating: 40% 1Quarterly report is still in review at DOC and numbers are subject to change.

• Reported to OPM in response to 2004 OPM Telework Survey (as of 12/31/2004)2

• Number of core teleworkers who actually teleworked: 6,820

• Number of situational teleworkers who actually teleworked: 2,807

• 2 The FY2005 2nd Quarter report reflects an increase in employees participating since the 12/31/2004 OPM 

survey. 

ENCLOSURE
14 GAO-05-1055R Agency Telework Methodologies 

11

Eligibility for Telework at DOC

• Employees are eligible to telework if they are not in excluded

positions (e.g., scientific researchers) and meet position

criteria (e.g., do not have to access classified information).

• Eligible employees still have to meet employee-related and 

other situational criteria to participate, such as demonstrating 

self-starter characteristics and having good time

management and organization skills.

• DOC counts eligible employees. Employee-related and

situational criteria as applied at any given time is not a

reported measure. DOC requires that employees be trained 

before participating.

ENCLOSURE
15 GAO-05-1055R Agency Telework Methodologies 

12

Making the Opportunity Available at DOC

• DOC delegated responsibility to each of its bureaus to

determine the best methods to offer eligible employees the

opportunity to participate. The bureaus had to ensure they

made telework opportunities available to 100 percent of their

eligible employees. 

• According to DOC’s telework coordinator, the components 

reported using methods ranging from:

• e-mailing notifications to eligible employees with an

application attached to

• maintaining an open door policy to address questions or

concerns. 

• DOC had not confirmed whether all of their components had 

done more than simply posting information on the Intranet.

ENCLOSURE
16 GAO-05-1055R Agency Telework Methodologies 

13

Measuring Participation at DOC

• According to DOC officials, the department counts 

employees as participating in telework if they have a 

signed telework agreement for “core” telework. “Ad 

hoc” teleworkers are not counted because they are 

not required to have telework agreements.

• DOC officials said that they do not have a way to count 

actual participation at the current time, but they are in

the process of implementing a Web-based time and

attendance system that will allow the department to 

track actual telework participation. DOC plans to have

this method fully implemented by mid-2006.

ENCLOSURE
17 GAO-05-1055R Agency Telework Methodologies 

14

Observation on Telework at DOC

• DOC is inconsistent in how it excludes employees 

based on performance: 

• Under its 2-point rating system, employees can qualify if

their average rating is at “meets or exceeds

expectations.”

• Under its 5-point rating system, employees can qualify if

their average rating is “outstanding” or “commendable” 

but not if it is “fully successful.”

• Agency officials confirmed that “meets expectations” and 

“fully successful” were essentially equivalent ratings and 

both represented the mid-point of their respective ratings

systems.

ENCLOSURE
18 GAO-05-1055R Agency Telework Methodologies 

15

SBA-reported Telework Information

• Legislative requirements

• Telework Certification submitted to appropriations committees: 2/08/2005

• Certifying official: Associate Deputy Administrator for Management and Administration

• FY 2005 3rd Quarter Telework Report submitted to appropriations committees: 7/27/2005

• Agency information

• Total number of employees (as of 12/31/2004 from 2004 OPM Telework Survey): 3,390

• Employees eligible to telework (as of 7/27/05 from FY 2005 3rd Qtr. Report): 597

• Percent of total number of employees who are eligible (calculated): 18%1

• Participating telework employees (as of 7/27/05 from FY 2005 3rd Qtr. Report): 389

• Percent of eligible employees participating (from 7/27/05 FY 2005 3rd Qtr. Report): 65%

• Reported to OPM in response to 2004 OPM Telework Survey (as of 12/31/2004)

• Number of employees who were core teleworkers: 162

• Number of employees who were situational teleworkers: 166

1

This percentage is approximate, because it was calculated using numbers obtained at different points in time.

ENCLOSURE
19 GAO-05-1055R Agency Telework Methodologies 

16

Eligibility for Telework at SBA

• SBA states it does not exclude any positions from 

telework, but does exclude employees because of

certain situational criteria and employee-related 

conditions (e.g., the employee needs daily face-toface contact with the immediate supervisor, other

employees, or customers or the employee has 

received a disciplinary or adverse action within the

6 months prior to applying).

• SBA counts eligible employees. Employee-related 

and situational criteria as applied at any given time

is not a reported measure. SBA requires that 

employees be trained before participating.

ENCLOSURE
20 GAO-05-1055R Agency Telework Methodologies 

17

Making the Opportunity Available at SBA

• According to agency officials, SBA used one

or more ways to make the opportunity to

telework available to its eligible employees.

These ranged from:

• circulating a notice to all employees 

providing detailed instructions on how to 

apply to

• creating a link on its Intranet home page.

ENCLOSURE
21 GAO-05-1055R Agency Telework Methodologies 

18

Measuring Participation at SBA

• Supervisors or their designees are required to

identify and update “approved teleworkers” in SBA’s 

electronic telework tracking system.

• SBA’s FY 2005 2nd Quarter report to the 

appropriations committees labeled its teleworkers 

as “approved teleworkers” rather than as

“participating employees.”

• SBA officials said that they do not have a way to

count employees actually participating in telework

at the current time.

ENCLOSURE
22 GAO-05-1055R Agency Telework Methodologies 

19

Observation on Telework at SBA

• SBA’s use of “approved 

teleworkers” in its Quarterly 

Telework Report is more accurate 

than if they used “participating 

employees”.

ENCLOSURE
23 GAO-05-1055R Agency Telework Methodologies 

20

SEC-reported Telework Information

• Legislative requirements

• Telework Certification submitted to the House Appropriations Scommittees on Science, the 

Departments of State, Justice, and Commerce, and Related Agencies: 3/1/2005

• Certifying official: SEC Chairman

• FY 2005 combined 2nd and 3rd Quarters Telework Report submitted to the House 

Appropriations Scommittees on Science, the Departments of State, Justice, and 

Commerce, and Related Agencies: 7/25/2005

• SEC information from FY 2005 combined 2nd and 3rd Quarters Telework Report as of 7/25/2005

• Total number of employees: 4,101

• Employees eligible to telework: 4,101

• Percent of total number of employees who are eligible: 100%

• Participating telework employees: 813

• Percent of eligible employees participating: 20%

• Update of SEC information reported to OPM in response to 2004 OPM Telework Survey

(updated as of April 2005)

• Number of employees who were core teleworkers: 240

• Number of employees who were situational teleworkers: 507 

ENCLOSURE
24 GAO-05-1055R Agency Telework Methodologies 

21

Eligibility for Telework at SEC

• SEC states that all employees are eligible to telework. 

• Employees can be excluded because of certain 

situational criteria and employee-related conditions 

(e.g., the necessity for face-to-face interaction or having

time and attendance issues).

• SEC wants to decide each telework request on a caseby-case basis, in part to reduce managerial resistance.

• SEC counts eligible employees. Employee-related and

situational criteria as applied at any given time is not a

reported measure.

ENCLOSURE
25 GAO-05-1055R Agency Telework Methodologies 

22

Making the Opportunity Available at SEC

• SEC used one or more ways to make the opportunity to

telework available to its eligible employees. These 

ranged from:

• Broadcast e-mail to all employees from the 

Chairman sent January 4, 2005 to inform them about 

SEC’s telework flexibilities to

• Telework link on the SEC Intranet.

• SEC officials are currently working to address

managerial resistance to participation by providing 

supervisors and managers with awareness training to

help them see how telework can work.

ENCLOSURE
26 GAO-05-1055R Agency Telework Methodologies 

23

Measuring Participation at SEC

• According to SEC officials, the agency counts

employees as participating in telework if they

have a signed telework agreement.

• Agency officials said that SEC does not have a

way to count actual participation at the current

time because the Department of Interior, which 

handles SEC’s payroll, does not break out time 

spent teleworking versus time working in the

office.

ENCLOSURE
27 GAO-05-1055R Agency Telework Methodologies 

24

Observation on Telework at SEC

• SEC noted that in previous years, its 

telework program restricted 

managers/supervisors, and nonbargaining unit employees from 

recurring telework schedules. In 2005, 

with the initiation of SEC’s new telework 

program, this restriction eliminated.

ENCLOSURE
28 GAO-05-1055R Agency Telework Methodologies 

25

DOJ-reported Telework Information

•Legislative requirements • Telework Certification submitted to appropriations committees: 3/03/2005 • Certifying official: Assistant Attorney General for Administration • FY 2005 combined 1st and 2nd Quarters Telework Report submitted 

to appropriations committees: 5/27/2005

•Agency information • Total number of employees (as of 12/31/04 from response to 2004 OPM

Telework Survey): 104,821

• Employees eligible to telework (as of 5/27/05 from FY 2005 1st/2nd Qrtrs. Report): 56,127 

• Percent of total number of employees who are eligible (calculated): 54%1

• Participating telework employees (as of 5/27/05 from FY 2005 1st/2nd Qrtrs. Report) 10,103

• Percent of eligible employees participating (as of 5/27/05 from FY 2005

1st/2nd Qrtrs. Report) : 18%

•Reported to OPM in response to 2004 OPM Telework Survey (as of 12/31/2004)

2

• Number of employees who were core teleworkers: 478

• Number of employees who were situational teleworkers: 18,126

1This percentage is approximate, because it was calculated using numbers obtained at different points in time. 2These numbers, reported to OPM as of 12/31/04, exceed the 10,103 employees participating in telework that were 

reported to the committees on 5/27/2005. According to agency officials, the 5/27/2005 numbers reflect DOJ’s budget office adjustment

to account for attrition.

ENCLOSURE
29 GAO-05-1055R Agency Telework Methodologies 

26

Eligibility for Telework at DOJ

• Employees are only eligible to telework if they meet certain position 

criteria (e.g., work planned for telework days is not classified, the

technology and equipment needed to perform the work planned for

telework days is available, or the employee is not classified as an

entry or trainee level position) or they do not work in certain 

occupations (e.g., correctional officers and receptionists) or they do 

not work in certain occupations (e.g., correctional officers and

receptionists).

• Eligible employees still have to meet employee-related and other

situational criteria to participate (e.g., being able to work effectively

in an isolated environment or having a history of reliable and 

responsible performance of duties).

• DOJ counts eligible employees. Employee-related and situational 

criteria as applied at any given time is not a reported measure.

ENCLOSURE
30 GAO-05-1055R Agency Telework Methodologies 

27

Making the Opportunity Available at DOJ

• DOJ required each of its components to complete a formal, written 

confirmation that 100 percent of eligible employees in each 

individual component had been offered the opportunity to telework. 

The components certified that they used one or more means to do

this, ranging from:

• individual e-mails to eligible employees

• to posting information about the telework program on the 

Intranet.

• DOJ had not confirmed whether all of their components had done

more than simply posting information on the Intranet.

• DOJ officials are currently working to address managerial 

resistance to participation by providing supervisors and managers

with awareness training to help them see how telework can work.

ENCLOSURE
31 GAO-05-1055R Agency Telework Methodologies 

28

Measuring Participation at DOJ

• According to DOJ officials, supervisors are expected to 

track all instances of telework manually. DOJ components

record instances of telework and report the recorded

participation levels annually in response to the OPM 

Telework Survey.

• DOJ officials said that they are in the process of

implementing a Web-based time and attendance system

that will allow the Department to track actual telework

participation and DOJ plans to begin partially using this

method during this calendar year.

ENCLOSURE
32 GAO-05-1055R Agency Telework Methodologies 

29

Observations on Telework at DOJ

• DOJ officials have confidence in the managers’ 

recording and reporting of actual telework because 

the DOJ telework program has been in place for

many years and this is a long-standing requirement

for DOJ supervisors and managers. However, DOJ 

officials look forward to improved accuracy by use 

of the time and attendance system in the future.

ENCLOSURE
33 GAO-05-1055R Agency Telework Methodologies 

30

State-reported Telework Information

• Legislative requirements

• Telework Certification submitted to appropriations committees: 2/8/2005

• Certifying official: Acting Assistant Secretary, Legislative Affairs

• FY 2005 2nd Quarter Telework Report submitted to appropriations committees: 4/4/2005

• Agency information 

• Total number of employees (as of 12/31/2004 from 2004 OPM Telework Survey): 18,751

• Employees eligible to telework (as of 3/2005 from FY 2005 2nd Qtr. Report): 1,240 

• Percent of total number of employees who are eligible (calculated): 7%1

• Participating telework employees (as of 3/2005 from FY 2005 2nd Qtr. Report): 1,019

• Percent of eligible employees participating (calculated): 82%

• Reported to OPM in response to 2004 OPM Telework Survey (as of

12/31/2004)

• Number of employees who were core teleworkers: 431

• Number of employees who were situational teleworkers: 588

1

This percentage is approximate, because it was calculated using numbers obtained at different points in time.

ENCLOSURE
34 GAO-05-1055R Agency Telework Methodologies 

31

Eligibility for Telework at State

• State counts employees as eligible only when they have been deemed eligible for

core telework and those recurring situational teleworkers who will telework

frequently. 

• According to agency officials, while some employees may use situational telework

arrangements infrequently, State only counts them in their number of eligible 

employees when they actually would be able to telework on a “regular situational 

basis”. They do this because they think counting non-regular situational teleworkers

would not meet legislative intent.

• State excludes positions requiring regular daily access to classified national security

information and employees who deal with the public (e.g., passport examiners and

employees responsible for processing travel orders for Foreign Service personnel).

• At this time, only employees in the Metro D.C. area can telework to make the

program easier to manage and to make sure it is working well. Also, State

interpreted the telework legislation’s concern to be mostly about the D.C. area. A

decision may be made in the future to offer the program in other areas. Also, State 

interpreted the legislative intent to be addressing the D.C. area. 

• State counts eligible employees. Employee-related and situational criteria as

applied at any given time is not a reported measure.

ENCLOSURE
35 GAO-05-1055R Agency Telework Methodologies 

32

Making the Opportunity Available at State

• Supervisors and managers were directed to

offer telework opportunities to employees who 

occupied eligible positions.

• Supervisors and managers individually offered 

the opportunity to telework orally and/or in 

writing to these employees.

• Employees accepted or declined telework in 

writing.

• State reported that 221 eligible employees did

not sign agreements and formally declined

telework.

ENCLOSURE
36 GAO-05-1055R Agency Telework Methodologies 

33

Measuring Participation at State

• State counts those employees with a

signed telework agreement as 

participating, and counts both core and 

recurring situational teleworkers.

• State officials said that they do not have a

way to count actual participation at the 

current time.

ENCLOSURE
37 GAO-05-1055R Agency Telework Methodologies 

34

Observation on Telework at State

• State officials observed that the department’s 

employees work under conditions fundamentally

different from the other four agencies included

in this review. For example, regular access to 

classified material and the accompanying need

for secure communications is a factor that

excludes many State positions from being

eligible for telework.

ENCLOSURE
38 GAO-05-1055R Agency Telework Methodologies 

35

Some Similarities Among Agencies’ 

Telework Approaches

• Identify employees who can’t telework by virtue of:

• the job they do/situational criteria related to their

positions

• employee-related criteria

• approval process requirements

• Make opportunities to telework known to employees

• Most report employees with approved telework 

agreements as the number of employees participating in

telework

• Large departments provide direction and subunits within 

the department have flexibility in the way they choose to

implement the direction

ENCLOSURE
39 GAO-05-1055R Agency Telework Methodologies 

36

Some Differences Among Agencies’ 

Telework Approaches

• Definitions of terms

• The types of telework included in the reports

• Exclusion from teleworking by positions versus

exclusion case-by-case at various points in time

• “Making opportunities available” meaning high 

awareness of telework opportunities versus

extending specific individual notification of

eligibility

• Work locations included

ENCLOSURE

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U.S. Government Accountability Office 

441 G Street NW, Room LM 

Washington, D.C. 20548 

To order by Phone: Voice: (202) 512-6000 

TDD: (202) 512-2537 

Fax: (202) 512-6061 

Contact: 

Web site: www.gao.gov/fraudnet/fraudnet.htm 

E-mail: fraudnet@gao.gov

Automated answering system: (800) 424-5454 or (202) 512-7470 

Gloria Jarmon, Managing Director, JarmonG@gao.gov (202) 512-4400 

U.S. Government Accountability Office, 441 G Street NW, Room 7125 

Washington, D.C. 20548 

Paul Anderson, Managing Director, AndersonP1@gao.gov (202) 512-4800 

U.S. Government Accountability Office, 441 G Street NW, Room 7149 

Washington, D.C. 20548 

GAO’s Mission 

Obtaining Copies of 

GAO Reports and 

Testimony 

Order by Mail or Phone 

To Report Fraud, 

Waste, and Abuse in 

Federal Programs 

Congressional 

Relations 

Public Affairs 

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