I 
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 Representa-
tives 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 TELE-
WORKING PROGRAMS. 
(a) DEFINITION OF TELEWORK.—Section 6501(3) of 
title 5, United States Code, is amended by inserting after 
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‘‘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 semi-
colon; and 
(iii) by adding at the end the fol-
lowing: 
‘‘(6) include annual goals for increasing the 
percent of employees of the executive agency partici-
pating 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, set-
ting goals for, and reporting costs savings to the ex-
ecutive agency achieved through teleworking, con-
sistent with the guidance developed under section 
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2(c) of the Telework Metrics and Cost Savings 
Act.’’; and 
(B) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(d) NOTIFICATION
FOR
REDUCTION
IN
TELE-
WORKING 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 ex-
ecutive 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 in-
creased costs resulting from that reduction, to— 
‘‘(1) the Director of the Office of Personnel 
Management; 
‘‘(2) the Committee on Oversight and Govern-
ment 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 delin-
eated period of teleworking participation for all employees 
of the agency, including the periods described in subpara-
graphs (A) through (D) of subsection (b)(6). The agency 
shall make any teleworking determination with respect to 
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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 devel-
oped under section 2(c) of the Telework Metrics 
and Cost Savings Act; and 
‘‘(I) a detailed explanation of a plan to in-
crease the Government-wide teleworking partici-
pation rate above such rate applicable to fiscal 
year 2016, including agency-level plans to main-
tain or improve such rate for each of the tele-
working frequency categories listed under sub-
paragraph (A)(iii).’’. 
(c) GUIDANCE.—Not later than 90 days after the 
date of the enactment of this Act, the Director of the Of-
fice of Personnel Management, in collaboration with the 
Chief Human Capital Officer Council, shall establish uni-
form guidance for agencies on how to collect data on, set 
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