“… Ramping up telework is going to be a challenge. Here are just a few of the issues that must be addressed:
- Access to systems: Agencies have legitimate security requirements that must be considered. If an agency has eliminated password access to systems and requires use of a Common Access Card (CAC) or similar ID, the computer used to access systems must have a CAC reader. Such readers do not have to be built into the computer, but agencies will not have an unlimited supply of them to hand out. Some agencies will require that the CAC be used with a government computer, but their employees may have desktop computers that they cannot take home. Dramatically ramping up access is going to be difficult for many agencies.
- Telework agreements…
- Nature of work: Hundreds of thousands of federal workers can work from home. Many, perhaps a million cannot. For example, the Transportation Security Administration has more than 50,000 transportation security officers and federal air marshals. Customs and Border Protection has 60,000 employees, many of whom are officers and border patrol agents. Most of their work cannot be done from home. The federal government has 210,000 trade and craft employees whose work, such as in shipyards and other industrial facilities or warehouses, cannot be done remotely. The Federal Aviation Administration has 18,000 air traffic controllers. The Defense Commissary Agency has 2,000 sales store checkers. Most agencies have security workers, such as police officers and security guards, who must be at work. There are many other occupations that require people to be present.
- Pay issues: If an employee works in one locality pay area, but lives in…” Read the full article here.
Source: More telework? Absolutely but far more is needed during the coronavirus pandemic – By Jeff Neal, March 17, 2020. Federal News Network.
