Telework Survey Response – Member of Congress Request, September 28, 2011
Table 1. Department of Homeland Security
(The questions apply with regard to permanent federal civilian employees of the department.)
Survey Questions
Response to Questions
How does the telework plan for
your department define telework?
A flexible work arrangement under which
employees perform the duties and
responsibilities of their position from an
approved worksite other than the location
from which the employee would
otherwise work.
Which positions in your department
are NOT eligible for telework?
Approximately, how many (number
and percent of) employees in your
department are NOT eligible to
telework?
Approximately 70% (139,228) of all DHS
positions (198,898) are not eligible to
telework. These positions include CBP
Officers, Transportation Security Officers,
Secret Service Agents and others who are
required to perform onsite activities.
What number and percent of your
employees telework from home?
What number and percent of your
employees telework from an
alternative worksite?
Number of employees who telework from
home = 3,280 or .016% (average for last
two pay periods).
Identify the type and number of
alternative worksites available for
your employees to telework, i.e., the
number of telecenters available, the
number of hoteling arrangements
available, and so forth.
Although some hoteling arrangements are
available for specific groups of employees,
the vast majority of teleworkers perform
their duties from home. DHS does not
have any telework centers.
Of the 2,087 work hours in a year,
provide data on the approximate
number and percentage of those
work hours that are accomplished by
employees during telework, for 2010
and anticipated for 2011.
Number of Telework Hours:
Supplementary Notes From the
Department
This definition will be included in the new
DHS Telework Instruction, which is
based on the Telework Enhancement Act
(PL 111-292).
Total number of eligible employees =
59,670 (30%).
Number of employees who telework from
alternate worksite = 269 or .001%
(average for last two pay periods).
Calendar
Year
# of
Hours
% of Hours
(Telework Hrs /
Total Hrs)
2010
374,448
.09 %
2011
1,048,625
.25 %
CY 2010
Number of Teleworkers = 23,485
Number of DHS Employees at End of
CY 2010 = 193,087
Total Telework Hours = 374,448
Total Work Hours Estimated =
193,087 * 2,087 = 402,972,569
% of Telework Hours = 374,448 /
402,972,569 = .09%
CY 2011
Number of Teleworkers = 56,528
Number of DHS Employees at End of
CY 2011 (as of Oct. 8, 2011) =
199,895
Total Telework Hours = 1,048,625
Total Work Hours Estimated =
199,895 * 2,087 = 417,180,865
% of Telework Hours = 1,048,625 /
417,180,865 = .25%
Survey Questions
Response to Questions
Provide data on the dollar amount of
savings in real estate costs achieved
by your department through
telework, from October 2010
through September 2011. Provide
data on the number of work stations
that are projected to be
consolidated or eliminated as a result
of telework over the next year.
Only two DHS components – U.S.
Citizenship and Immigration Services and
the Office of the Chief Administrative
Officer – implemented office sharing in
2010. Although exact cost data is not
available, the estimated annual cost savings
is approximately $1 million. We expect
to expand office-sharing arrangements in
the future, but have not projected specific
cost savings for FY2012.
Provide specific examples of how
your department uses telework as a
recruitment tool and as a retention
tool.
For those positions eligible for telework,
the option to telework is used by
managers as a recruitment and retention
tool on an ad hoc basis. Because the
majority of the jobs in the Department do
not lend themselves to telework, there
isn’t a Department-wide strategy in place
to use telework as a recruitment and
retention tool.
Provide a copy of your department’s
telework plan and any additional
documents related to telework, i.e.,
requirements prescribed by your
department for telecommunications
and equipment for telework.
DHS has recently updated it’s Telework
Directive and drafted a new Telework
Instruction. Copies of both draft
documents are attached. Our CIO has
also submitted a plan to support telework
to OMB.
Provide response to:
Barbara Schwemle
LOC/CRS/G&F
(202) 707-8655
(202) 707-3325
bschwemle@crs.loc.gov
Supplementary Notes From the
Department
DHS is designing a new “Flexible Work
Strategy” in the near future to explore
the possibility of expanding office sharing,
especially in the Washington, D.C. area,
to consolidate leased space.