Page 1 GAO-13-298R OPM Telework Report

441 G St. N.W.

Washington, DC 20548

June 28, 2013

The Honorable Thomas R. Carper

Chairman

The Honorable Tom Coburn

Ranking Member

Committee on Homeland Security

 and Governmental Affairs

United States Senate

The Honorable Darrell Issa

Chairman

The Honorable Elijah E. Cummings

Ranking Member

Committee on Oversight

 and Government Reform

House of Representatives

Subject: Federal Telework: Office of Personnel Management’s 2012 Telework Report Shows 

Opportunities for Improvement

The Telework Enhancement Act of 20101 requires the Office of Personnel Management (OPM)

to submit an annual report to Congress addressing the telework program of each executive 

agency. The act also required us to review OPM’s first report and submit a report to Congress 

on the progress each executive agency has made towards the goals established under the act.

2

 

We fulfilled the mandate with a briefing to staff from both committees on our preliminary findings

during the first week of May 2013. This report transmits the final briefing slides and includes 

recommendations we are making to the Acting Director of OPM. See enclosure I for the briefing 

slides.

We assessed the extent to which OPM’s 2012 Status of Telework in the Federal Government: 

Report to the Congress reported and assessed progress of federal executive agencies’ telework 

participation and outcomes, including societal impacts and cost savings. Separately, we also 

gathered additional information regarding challenges smaller agencies may have encountered 

in implementing telework programs.

 

1

Pub. L. No. 111-292, 124 Stat. 3165 (Dec. 9, 2010), codified primarily at chapter 65 of title 5, United States Code. 

2

The original date for the GAO mandate was January 3, 2013. Congressional staff agreed to postpone this and we 

agreed a briefing in May 2013 would suit their needs followed by issuing this report.
Page 2 GAO-13-298R OPM Telework Report

To conduct this work, we

• reviewed OPM’s reporting requirements in the Telework Enhancement Act of 2010;3

• analyzed selected responses from the 87 agencies that responded to OPM’s 2011 data 

call, evaluated how Federal Employee Viewpoint Survey (FEVS) data were used, and 

examined how OPM conducted and reported findings from its focus groups. We found 

the data from both sources sufficiently reliable for assessing OPM’s 2012 Status of 

Telework report and reporting select findings from both of these sources;

and 

reviewed OPM’s 2012 report to Congress; 

• reviewed related documentation, including FEVS questions pertaining to telework, and 

compared them to how OPM presented the information in its report;

• interviewed OPM officials responsible for overseeing the report; and 

• held a discussion group with a random sample of 10 members of the Small Agency 

Human Resources Council who are knowledgeable of telework to discuss what 

challenges, if any, small agencies may face in implementing telework programs. The 

insights gained from the discussions were not generalizable to all small agencies.

We conducted this performance audit from June 2012 to May 2013 in accordance with generally 

accepted government auditing standards. Those standards require that we plan and perform the 

audit to obtain sufficient, appropriate evidence to provide a reasonable basis for our findings 

and conclusions based on our audit objectives. We believe that the evidence obtained provides 

a reasonable basis for our findings and conclusions based on our audit objectives.

In summary,

• OPM partially reported on two of the act’s seven reporting requirements, but did not 

report agency information for the five remaining requirements. This was because 

insufficient time had elapsed for all requirements of the act to be fully implemented and 

because agencies appeared to face challenges in measuring outcomes for some 

nonparticipation goals, according to OPM. 

• OPM recognizes weaknesses in agency sources for telework participation and frequency 

data, but has not taken adequate steps to establish a completion date by which agencies 

will produce reliable data from employee time and attendance tracking systems, which 

OPM defines as the most reliable tracking method. 

• The small agency discussion group reported telework challenges similar to those 

expressed by officials from larger agencies. These challenges include management 

resistance and technology limitations. In addition, officials from small agencies

expressed particular concerns about office impacts when a teleworking employee has no 

backup in the workplace and about the limited funding available for information 

technology to support telework.

 

3

As part of our review, we assessed whether OPM reported on each reporting requirement using a scale of

“reported,” “partially reported,” and “not reported.” We used our professional judgment to develop each assessment. 
Page 3 GAO-13-298R OPM Telework Report

We are making the following recommendations to the Acting Director of OPM:

1. In preparation for the 2014 telework report, OPM should provide goal setting assistance 

for agencies not yet able to report telework goals, including agencies which intend to 

establish nonparticipation goals but are not yet able to report on these goals. OPM 

should request in its data call that each of these agencies report by what year the 

agency will be able to report its goals, including each agency’s timetable for complete 

reporting and the status of action steps and milestones they established to gauge 

progress. 

2. OPM should include in its 2014 report to Congress the amount of cost savings resulting 

from the impacts of telework each agency may have identified, and the method the 

agency used to assess or verify the savings.

3. To improve the reliability of data collection, OPM should work with the Chief Human 

Capital Officers (CHCO) Council and its leadership to develop documented agreements 

and a timetable to complete an automated tracking system or other reliable data 

gathering method that can be validated by OPM.

Agency Comments and Our Evaluation

We provided a draft of this report to the Acting Director of OPM on May 31, 2013, and received 

the agency’s written comments on June 19, 2013. The comments are reprinted in enclosure II. 

In summary, OPM partially concurred with our first recommendation, concurred with our second 

recommendation, and stated it has completed our third recommendation.

OPM partially concurred with our first recommendation that it should provide agencies with goal 

setting assistance and request additional information from agencies not yet able to report 

telework goals regarding their plans and timetable for complete reporting. OPM stated the 

recommendation should be limited only to agency participation goals, as the act does not 

require agencies to identify nonparticipation goals. OPM noted it will continue to consult with 

agencies to address agency competency gaps in strategic goal setting, measurement, and data 

collection. The act requires OPM to assist each agency in establishing appropriate qualitative 

and quantitative measures and teleworking goals. The act does not limit this assistance to 

participation goals. While agencies are not mandated to establish specified nonparticipation 

goals, to the extent they intend to do so, OPM should provide assistance. In addition, OPM will 

rely on input from the agencies to meet its reporting requirement of assessments of agency 

progress in meeting agency participation rate goals and, for agencies which choose to establish 

nonparticipation goals, an assessment of the progress made in meeting such goals. Any 

assessment of progress would necessarily include an identification of the goal itself. We revised 

our recommendation to underscore the voluntary nature of agency nonparticipation goals.

OPM concurred with our second recommendation to include the amount of cost savings that 

agencies have identified resulting from the impact of telework in its 2014 report. OPM stated 

that the act does not require agencies to report cost savings, which we acknowledged by 

limiting the scope of the recommendation to agencies which “may have identified” cost savings. 

OPM will ask agencies to identify the amount of cost savings resulting from telework and the 

methodology the agency used to assess or verify the savings and report the results in its 2014 

annual report.

OPM stated that it has completed our third recommendation to improve the reliability of its data 

collection. OPM stated that during the summer of 2012 payroll providers agreed to documented 
Page 4 GAO-13-298R OPM Telework Report

standards for automated data collection of telework participation. OPM stated that it is working 

closely with payroll providers to complete the automation project in time for the 2015 telework 

status report. Further, it stated that the CHCO Council has been briefed and is aware of the 

effort. However, OPM has yet to establish documented agreements with the CHCO Council 

that would assure OPM that it will obtain the reliable agency data necessary to establish an 

automated tracking system. While OPM has established a date for reporting reliable data, it has 

not included dates for completing key activities it has identified, such as comparing telework 

participation, frequency, and eligibility data collected through its annual agency telework data 

call, with data collected through automated payroll systems.

Documented agreements between OPM and the CHCO Council would formally commit 

agencies to complete the necessary actions to adopt automated systems or other acceptable 

reliable data gathering methods. A completed timetable is needed because it could specify the 

milestones, required sub-tasks to be completed and their dates. Until OPM demonstrates it has 

specified the necessary steps to develop documented agreements with the CHCO Council and 

its leadership and identified all of the required sub-tasks to complete the development of an 

automated tracking system or other reliable data gathering method, OPM cannot be confident 

that it will be in a position to report reliable data in 2015 as it intends.

In addition to officials at both committees, we are sending copies of this report to other 

interested congressional committees, officials at OPM, the Executive Director of the CHCO 

Council, and the small agency officials who participated in our discussion group. In addition, the 

report will be available at no charge on the GAO website at http://www.gao.gov. 

Should you and your office have questions or matters discussed in this report, please contact 

me at (202) 512-6806 or at jonesy@gao.gov. Contact points for our Offices of Congressional 

Relations and Public Affairs may be found on the last page of our report. GAO staff who made 

key contributions to this reported are listed in enclosure III. 

Yvonne D. Jones, Director

Strategic Issues
Enclosure I

Page 5 GAO-13-298R OPM Telework Report

Final Briefing Slides Prepared for the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and 

Governmental Affairs and House of Representatives Committee on Oversight and 

Government Reform

GAO’s Review of OPM’s 2012 

Telework Report

Prepared for the Senate Committee on 

Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs 

and House of Representatives Committee on 

Oversight and Government Reform

May 3, 2013

Page 1
Enclosure I

Page 6 GAO-13-298R OPM Telework Report

Overview

• Objectives, Scope, and Methodology

• Results in Brief

• Background

• Findings

• Conclusions

• Recommendations for Executive Action

Page 2
Enclosure I

Page 7 GAO-13-298R OPM Telework Report

Objectives

In response to a mandate in the Telework Enhancement Act of 

2010, we reviewed the first required Office of Personnel 

Management (OPM) report to Congress on the telework 

programs of each executive agency. We assessed the extent 

to which OPM’s 2012 Status of Telework in the Federal 

Government: Report to the Congress reported and assessed 

progress of federal executive agencies’ telework participation 

and outcomes, including societal impacts and cost savings.

Separately, we also gathered additional information regarding 

challenges smaller agencies may have encountered in 

implementing telework programs.

Page 3
Enclosure I

Page 8 GAO-13-298R OPM Telework Report

Scope and Methodology

To conduct this work, we:

• reviewed OPM’s reporting requirements in the Telework Enhancement Act of 2010 

and reviewed OPM’s 2012 report to Congress;

• analyzed selected responses from the 87 agencies that responded to OPM’s 2011 

data call, evaluated how Federal Employee Viewpoint Survey (FEVS) data were 

used, and examined how OPM conducted and reported findings from its focus 

groups;

• reviewed related documentation, including FEVS questions pertaining to telework, 

and compared them to how OPM presented the information in its report;

• interviewed OPM officials responsible for overseeing the report; and

• held a discussion group with a random sample of 10 members of the Small Agency 

Human Resources Council who are knowledgeable of telework to discuss what 

challenges, if any, small agencies may face in implementing telework programs. 

The insights gained from the discussions were not generalizable to all small 

agencies.

Page 4
Enclosure I

Page 9 GAO-13-298R OPM Telework Report

Generally Accepted Government Auditing 

Standards

We conducted this performance audit from June 2012 to May 

2013 in accordance with generally accepted government auditing 

standards. Those standards require that we plan and perform the 

audit to obtain sufficient, appropriate evidence to provide a 

reasonable basis for our findings and conclusions based on our 

audit objectives. We believe that the evidence obtained provides 

a reasonable basis for our findings and conclusions based on our 

audit objectives.

Page 5
Enclosure I

Page 10 GAO-13-298R OPM Telework Report

Results in Brief

• OPM partially reported on two of the act’s seven reporting requirements, but 

did not report agency information for the five remaining requirements. This 

was because insufficient time had elapsed for all requirements of the act to be 

fully implemented and because agencies appeared to face challenges in 

measuring outcomes for some nonparticipation goals, according to OPM.

• OPM recognizes weaknesses in agency sources for telework participation and 

frequency data, but has not taken adequate steps to establish a completion 

date by which agencies will produce reliable data from employee time and 

attendance (T&A) tracking systems, which OPM defines as the most reliable 

tracking method.

• The small agency discussion group reported telework challenges similar to 

those expressed by officials from larger agencies. These challenges include 

management resistance and technology limitations. In addition, officials from 

small agencies expressed particular concerns about office impacts when a 

teleworking employee has no backup in the workplace and about the limited 

funding available for information technology to support telework.

Page 6
Enclosure I

Page 11 GAO-13-298R OPM Telework Report

Background

• Telework offers various flexibilities for both employers and 

employees, including the capacity to continue operations 

during emergency events, as well as benefits to society, such 

as decreased energy use and pollution.

• The Telework Enhancement Act of 20101 made a large step 

forward in transforming the approach to telework by 

establishing a framework of requirements for executive 

agencies to meet in implementing telework. These 

requirements include notifying all employees of their eligibility 

to telework and establishing agency telework participation 

goals for the measurement and reporting of results.

Page 7 1 Pub. L. No. 111-292, 124 Stat. 3165 (Dec. 9, 2010).
Enclosure I

Page 12 GAO-13-298R OPM Telework Report

Background

The act assigns OPM major leadership responsibilities. Responsibilities include:

• Provide policy and policy guidance for telework in areas such as agency closure and performance 

management.

• Assist each agency in establishing appropriate qualitative and quantitative measures and 

teleworking goals.

• Submit an annual report, in consultation with the Chief Human Capital Officers (CHCO) Council, 

to Congress addressing the telework programs of each executive agency. The act requires OPM 

to report on seven elements, such as each agency’s degree of telework participation and an 

assessment of each agency’s progress in meeting its telework goals. 

• Include in the annual telework report relevant information from reports prepared by agency 

CHCOs, in consultation with agency telework managing officers (TMOs), that were submitted to 

the Chair and Vice Chair of the CHCO Council on agency management efforts to promote 

telework.

• Identify best practices and recommendations for the federal government and review the 

outcomes associated with an increase in telework, including effects on energy consumption, job 

creation and availability, urban transportation patterns, and the ability to anticipate the dispersal of 

work during periods of emergency. 

Page 8
Enclosure I

Page 13 GAO-13-298R OPM Telework Report

Background

OPM’s 2012 report to Congress is based primarily on three data sources:

• 2011 OPM Telework Data Call

The data call allows OPM to systematically collect agency 

telework data, such as participation levels and frequency. 

Agencies are required to participate in the data call in order for 

OPM to fulfill its reporting obligation under the act.

• 2011 FEVS selected questions that pertain to telework

FEVS is designed to provide insights into the challenges agency 

leaders face in ensuring the federal government has an 

effective civilian workforce.

We found the data from both sources sufficiently reliable for assessing 

OPM’s 2012 Status of Telework report and reporting select findings 

from both of these sources.

• Focus groups with TMOs and telework coordinators

Twenty agencies were represented in the focus groups.

Page 9
Enclosure I

Page 14 GAO-13-298R OPM Telework Report

OPM Has Partially Reported on 2 of the Act’s 7 

Reporting Requirements

Page 10

Table 1: Summary of Extent OPM Reported on the Requirements of the Telework Enhancement Act of 2010

OPM reporting requirements Extent reported

1) Participation and frequency of eligible employees Partially

reported

2) Method for gathering telework data in each agency Not reported

3) If the total number of employees teleworking is 10 percent higher or lower 

than the previous year in any agency, the reasons for the variation

Not reported

4) Agency goal for participation by frequency category Not reported

5) Whether agencies met goals and, if not, what actions are being taken to 

maximize telework opportunities

Not reported

6) Assessment of progress for meeting participation goals and other goals Not reported

7) Best practices in agency telework programs Partially 

reported

Source: GAO analysis of OPM’s 2012 Status of Telework in the Federal Government: Report to the Congress.
Enclosure I

Page 15 GAO-13-298R OPM Telework Report

OPM Did Not Collect and Report Participation 

Goals in the Form Required by the Act

• The act requires OPM to report agency goals for increasing participation as a 

percentage of eligible employees teleworking and their frequency. OPM reported 

that it did not do so because some agencies were not ready or able to set 

participation goals. Agencies were not required to establish participation and 

frequency goals prior to the act.

• OPM reported that of the agencies responding to the data call, 41 (47 percent) 

had established numeric participation goals. These agency participation goals 

were either a percentage or a number of employees participating in telework.

Twenty-seven agencies (31 percent) did not report a participation goal. In 

addition, 19 agencies (22 percent) declined to give a numeric goal, but gave a 

descriptive goal.

• In March 2013, OPM advised us it had collected the status of agency telework 

participation goals in late fall of 2012 and would report on the status in its 2013 

report to Congress. Further, OPM officials stated that agencies will be asked to 

establish goals in the form required by the act to be reported in OPM’s 2014 

report to Congress.

Page 11
Enclosure I

Page 16 GAO-13-298R OPM Telework Report

OPM Did Not Report Whether Each Agency Met 

Its Participation Goals

• OPM did not report whether each agency met its 

participation goals because these goals had not yet 

been established. This report set a baseline for future 

reporting of whether agencies had met its goals.

• OPM officials told us that OPM’s 2013 telework report 

to Congress will

• report whether participation goals were met and, if 

not, what actions the agency was taking to 

maximize telework in the next reporting period.

• rely on agency self-assessments of progress, 

provided to OPM through its data call process.

Page 12
Enclosure I

Page 17 GAO-13-298R OPM Telework Report

OPM Did Not Report Assessments of Progress 

Meeting Other Agency Telework-Related Goals

• The act also requires an assessment of each agency’s progress in meeting other goals the 

agency may have established, such as the impact of telework on recruitment and retention and 

energy use. As a result of the act, OPM revised the 2011 data call to collect agency information 

about other telework-related goals. As this had not been collected before, there was no baseline 

to use to report progress.

• OPM reported how many agencies have set nonparticipation goals and the number of agencies 

reporting they had achieved cost savings in various categories, such as rent and utilities. OPM 

reported, for example, 53 agencies (66 percent) that provided data about outcome goals stated 

they had established goals for recruitment, 52 agencies (65 percent) for retention, and 26 

agencies (33 percent) for reduced energy use. Also, cost savings estimates are still in the 

planning stages for 29 agencies and 15 agencies reported they do not track or did not realize cost 

savings. OPM did not report each agency’s specific agency goal in the various categories, if the 

agency had established one.

• OPM reported that it appears agencies are facing challenges when measuring goal outcomes 

related to reducing commuter miles, energy use, and agency real estate costs and improved 

employee performance. OPM suggested the lack of readily available data and the difficulty of 

measuring these outcomes may be dissuading agencies from focusing attention on other goals.

Page 13
Enclosure I

Page 18 GAO-13-298R OPM Telework Report

OPM Noted Limitations to Its 2012 Report, but 

Anticipates Improvements to Future Reports

• The 2012 report established a new baseline for future 

reporting periods, but:

• Participation and frequency numbers in the 2012 report 

may under-report telework activity because many 

agencies do not have the systems capacity to collect all 

requested data.

• OPM reported it is working with payroll providers and 

agencies to implement a standardized government-wide 

data collection system.

Page 14
Enclosure I

Page 19 GAO-13-298R OPM Telework Report

OPM Noted Limitations to Its 2012 Report, but 

Anticipates Improvements to Future Reports

• The act makes it mandatory for all teleworkers to have entered 

into a written telework agreement with an agency manager.

• Some agencies had not yet developed databases to track the 

number of signed telework agreements. As a result, the 

government-wide totals for number of agreements and number 

of teleworkers do not match, with more employees teleworking

than employees with telework agreements. OPM states this is a 

limitation in data collection rather than a failure to ensure signed 

agreements.

Page 15
Enclosure I

Page 20 GAO-13-298R OPM Telework Report

Other Limitations—Management Efforts to 

Promote Telework Were Not Reviewed

• Agency telework reports of management efforts to promote 

telework were not reviewed by the CHCO Council leadership 

for relevant information to report to Congress.

• The act requires relevant information from agencies' 

annual telework reports to be included in OPM's annual 

report to Congress. 

• OPM stated it did not request agency reports on 

management efforts to promote telework due to an unclear 

understanding of roles and responsibilities within OPM.

• OPM added a question to the data call for the 2013 report 

asking agencies to address how their management 

promotes telework.

Page 16
Enclosure I

Page 21 GAO-13-298R OPM Telework Report

Other Limitations—No Data Collected on the 

Amount of Cost Savings

• OPM did not collect data on the amount of cost savings 

resulting from telework. 

• In the 2011 data call, about one-third of agencies (28 agencies) reported achieving cost savings from telework 

in areas such as reduced rent or office space and 

transportation subsidies, but OPM did not request 

specific amounts. Three agencies chose to report a 

specific estimated amount.

• OPM officials stated they continue to consult with 

agencies to help them set standards and develop 

assessment tools. In addition, OPM was exploring 

possible data sources to help agencies establish and 

assess progress on some of the more difficult to 

measure goals (e.g., commuting, energy savings).

Page 17
Enclosure I

Page 22 GAO-13-298R OPM Telework Report

OPM’s Report Updates Efforts to Improve Data 

Collection

• OPM reported many agencies do not have the systems capacity to collect all 

requested data, which has consequences for data quality standards, 

including reliability.

• In its 2012 report, OPM reported it has worked closely with payroll providers 

and agencies to develop a government-wide set of standards for data 

collection. It has also established a statement of work to automate the 

collection of government-wide telework data, which includes the initial period, 

milestones, and time frames for comparing agency data collected through 

automated systems with data collected through prior methods.

• However, no completion date for the project has been established and OPM 

reports that a timetable for completion is not entirely under its control. For 

example, some agencies do not yet have automated T&A systems and may 

not have funding available to meet the completion date OPM may request.

• OPM’s statement of work states that ideally, data collected through the 

automated system would be used for the 2015 report to Congress.

Page 18
Enclosure I

Page 23 GAO-13-298R OPM Telework Report

Comparison of Large and Small Agency Views 

of Telework Challenges

Telework representatives from both large and small agencies identified similar 

challenges.2

• Eighty percent of the agencies (16 agencies) in OPM’s focus groups had more 

than 1,700 employees. Challenges reported by OPM in its focus groups included: 

• manager resistance;

• technology related challenges;

• equity with which telework has been made available to employees;

• performance management; and

• access to senior leadership.

• Eighty percent of the agencies (8 agencies) in our discussion group had fewer 

than 1,700 employees. Challenges reported by discussion group participants 

included:

• management resistance;

• technology related challenges;

• office coverage; and

• budget and funding.

Page 19 2 We defined an agency’s size based on whether OPM’s report indicated the agency had 1,700 employees.
Enclosure I

Page 24 GAO-13-298R OPM Telework Report

Scope and Methodology for Obtaining 

Additional Small Agency Insights

We held a group discussion with officials from small agencies regarding challenges faced 

in implementing telework programs in their agencies.

• For the purposes of our analysis, we identified small agencies as members of the 

Small Agency Human Resources Council, which generally have 500 or fewer 

employees. 

• Representatives from 10 agencies, which had provided data for the 2012 OPM report, 

were randomly selected to participate in a 90-minute discussion. 

Page 20

Table 2: Agencies Participating in GAO’s Small Agency Discussion Group

Commodity Futures Trading Commission National Labor Relations Board 

Court Services and Offender Supervision 

Agency 

Overseas Private Investment Corporation 

Institute of Museum and Library Services Surface Transportation Board 

Merit Systems Protection Board U.S. Agency for International Development 

National Credit Union Administration U.S. International Trade Commission 

Source: GAO.
Enclosure I

Page 25 GAO-13-298R OPM Telework Report

Small Agency Challenges

Management Resistance 

A number of agency officials said their agency needs to change its perspective concerning 

telework. One element that needs to change is different expectations for teleworkers and nonteleworkers. 

• An official said some less experienced managers require a written report from teleworkers 

summarizing what they accomplished while teleworking.

• Officials at two agencies stated employees at their agency cannot both telework and have 

an alternative work schedule.

• One official stated that management resistance due to an “old school” management style 

of face-to-face interaction is a current challenge.

Information Technology 

A number of agency officials said the cost of implementing information technology solutions to 

increase telework was a challenge. 

• For example, an official said that during Hurricane Sandy the agency did not have 

sufficient software licenses to accommodate all teleworking employees. The official said 

his agency has about double the number of licenses it needs to support the normal 

teleworking load, but it is not sufficient for widespread teleworking, and licenses are very 

costly.

Page 21
Enclosure I

Page 26 GAO-13-298R OPM Telework Report

Small Agency Challenges

Office Coverage

Agency officials cited challenges covering positions where one individual serves 

as the only agency official for that responsibility.

• Several agency officials indicated that they believed this was unique to being 

at a small agency since larger agencies would likely have multiple individuals 

to cover a function. They felt that larger agencies could better cover 

unexpected on-site needs by having other employees on-site with the 

required knowledge and skills. 

• To address the issue of office coverage, an official said his agency requires a 

“buddy system” for teleworkers so there are backup staff in the office to meet 

unexpected on-site needs.

Budget and Funding

Agency officials felt that small agencies have particular challenges as the 

investment in technology to support telework benefits fewer employees than in 

large agencies, so funding may be a lesser priority.

Page 22
Enclosure I

Page 27 GAO-13-298R OPM Telework Report

Conclusions

The requirements of the act put in place the elements of a new system 

of accountability that will enable improved oversight of agency 

implementation of telework programs. However, it remains uncertain 

when full compliance with the act’s reporting requirements will be 

achieved.

OPM’s 2012 report states that many agencies do not have the systems 

capacity to collect the participation and frequency data required by the 

act and the timeline to complete a government-wide automated system 

has not been established. Without a timetable for completion and 

agreement of stakeholders affected by this strategy, there is no 

assurance OPM’s efforts will achieve the telework data collection 

system it needs or that an alternative collection and reporting strategy 

will be developed.

Page 23
Enclosure I

Page 28 GAO-13-298R OPM Telework Report

Conclusions

Identifying agencies’ goals, such as the impact of telework on reducing 

agency energy use, commuter miles, and reducing or avoiding real 

estate costs, is an important element of consideration in providing an 

assessment of agency progress in meeting such goals.

OPM has taken steps to satisfy the act’s requirements and 

understands the significance of the act for both agencies and federal 

employees. The report makes clear OPM sees its role as one of 

consulting with agencies to assist in developing and advancing 

telework programs. Such assistance is especially valuable for 

agencies that have not yet been able to establish telework goals. 

OPM plans to focus on evaluation efforts and offer training in 

measurement, goal setting, and action planning.

Page 24
Enclosure I

Page 29 GAO-13-298R OPM Telework Report

Recommendations to the Acting Director, OPM

1. In preparation for the 2014 telework report, OPM should provide goal 

setting assistance for agencies not yet able to report telework goals, 

including agencies which intend to establish nonparticipation goals but 

are not yet able to report on these goals. OPM should request in its data 

call that each of these agencies report by what year the agency will be 

able to report its goals, including each agency’s timetable for complete 

reporting and the status of action steps and milestones they established 

to gauge progress.

2. OPM should include in its 2014 report to Congress the amount of cost 

savings resulting from the impacts of telework each agency may have 

identified, and the method the agency used to assess or verify the 

savings.

3. To improve the reliability of data collection, OPM should work with the 

CHCO Council and its leadership to develop documented agreements 

and a timetable to complete an automated tracking system or other 

reliable data gathering method that can be validated by OPM.

Page 25
Enclosure I

Page 30 GAO-13-298R OPM Telework Report

Page 26

GAO on the Web

Web site: http://www.gao.gov/

Congressional Relations

Katherine Siggerud, Managing Director, siggerudk@gao.gov

(202) 512-4400, U.S. Government Accountability Office 

441 G Street, NW, Room 7125, Washington, DC 20548

Public Affairs

Chuck Young, Managing Director, youngc1@gao.gov

(202) 512-4800, U.S. Government Accountability Office

441 G Street, NW, Room 7149, Washington, DC 20548

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This is a work of the U.S. government and is not subject to copyright protection in the United States. 

The published product may be reproduced and distributed in its entirety without further permission 

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separately. 
Enclosure II

Page 31 GAO-13-298R OPM Telework Report

Comments from the Office of Personnel Management
Enclosure II

Page 32 GAO-13-298R OPM Telework Report
Enclosure II

Page 33 GAO-13-298R OPM Telework Report
Enclosure III

Page 34 GAO-13-298R OPM Telework Report

GAO Contact and Staff Acknowledgements

GAO Contact

Yvonne D. Jones, (202) 512-6806 or jonesy@gao.gov

Staff Acknowledgements

In addition to the contact listed above, key contributors to this report were William Doherty, 

Assistant Director; Shea Bader, James Cook, Analyst-In-Charge; Jenny Chanley, Jeff DeMarco, 

Karin Fangman and Robert Gebhart. 
Page 35 GAO-13-298R OPM Telework Report

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