February 2022 COVID-19

1 United States Government Accountability office Report to Congressional Addressees COVID-19 . February 2022. Federal Telework Increased during the Pandemic, but More Reliable Data Are Needed to Support Oversight GAO-22-104282. February 2022. COVID-19 . Federal Telework Increased during the Pandemic, but More Reliable Data Are Needed to Support Oversight Highlights of GAO-22-104282, a report to congressional addressees Why GAO Did This Study What GAO Found Federal agencies use telework to help The office of Personnel Management (OPM) collects data on federal telework to accomplish their missions and maintain report annually to Congress, but has made limited progress addressing long- operations, especially during standing data issues. In 2016, GAO made four recommendations to OPM related emergencies, such as the COVID-19 to improving the reliability of its federal payroll data system, including telework pandemic.

2 In March 2020, the office of information. OPM agreed with the recommendations and has implemented one Management and Budget instructed related to data standards. However, OPM has not developed a plan to address agencies to maximize the use of the remaining three recommendations consistently monitor error reports, telework to allow federal employees to integrate payroll data into a larger suite of databases, and strengthen internal remain safe while working from control activities. Developing a plan to address these recommendations would alternative locations and maintaining better position OPM to improve its reporting of telework and provide more mission critical workforce needs. accurate and useful information to Congress. The CARES Act includes a provision for GAO to report on ongoing COVID- Given the issues with OPM's data, GAO collected telework information directly 19 monitoring and oversight efforts.

3 In from 24 agencies. These data initially had limitations so GAO followed up with this report, GAO (1) assesses OPM's each agency to clarify outliers and collect missing data. The data showed that all progress in addressing telework data 24 agencies increased their use of telework in response to the COVID-19 . limitations and describes federal pandemic. Pre-pandemic, in January 2020, 13 agencies reported at least a agencies' use of telework during the quarter of their employees teleworked to some degree. By April 2020, all 24. COVID-19 pandemic, and (2) agencies reported at least a quarter of employees teleworked, with nine agencies describes actions agencies have taken reporting at least 90 percent of their employees teleworked. Similarly, by April to address telework-related challenges through June 2020, more agencies had employees teleworking full-time.

4 Pre- identified during the COVID-19 pandemic, at nearly all 24 agencies, less than a quarter of teleworking pandemic and considerations for future employees did so full time. During the pandemic, 14 agencies had at least a operating postures. quarter of teleworking employees doing so full time. For this report, GAO collected and Agencies described a range of telework-related challenges during the pandemic analyzed telework data and related and tried to address them (see figure). documents from 24 major federal agencies from selected time periods before and during the pandemic. GAO. also interviewed OPM and selected agencies' officials. What GAO Recommends Congress should consider requiring OPM to set a deadline to develop an implementation plan to improve the reliability of information in its federal payroll data system, Enterprise Human Resources Integration, including telework information.

5 Agencies are considering future workplace changes that include modifications to requirements to report regularly to an agency worksite. Additionally, agencies are Nine of the 24 agencies provided technical comments, which GAO. considering reducing facilities and infrastructure. incorporated as appropriate. As agencies contemplate the future of work for millions of federal employees, it is important for OPM to have accurate data on federal telework to support View GAO-22-104282. For more information, contact Alissa H. Czyz at (202) 512-6806 or oversight. GAO reiterates the importance of having its recommendations implemented promptly. United States Government Accountability office Contents Letter 1. Background 4. All Agencies Reported Increased Telework Use during the COVID-19 Pandemic, but Long-standing Data Issues Persist 8.

6 Agencies Took Steps to Try to Address Telework-Related Challenges and Anticipate Future Workplace Changes 19. Conclusions 28. Matter for Congressional Consideration 29. Agency Comments 29. Appendix I Scope and Methodology 33. Appendix II Government-wide Telework-Related Guidance Issued in Response to the COVID-19 Pandemic 36. Appendix III Comments from the Agency for International Development 41. Appendix IV Comments from the Social Security Administration 42. Appendix V GAO Contact and Staff Acknowledgments 43. Table Table 1: Government-wide OMB and OPM Telework-Related Guidance in Response to the COVID-19 Pandemic 39. Figures Figure 1: Telework Hours as a Percentage of Total Work Hours before and during the COVID-19 Pandemic 9. Figure 2: Proportion of Federal Employees Teleworking before and during the COVID-19 Pandemic 12.

7 Page i GAO-22-104282 Federal Telework Figure 3: Percentage of Teleworkers with More than Half Their Time in Telework Status, before and during the COVID- 19 Pandemic 14. Figure 4: Percentage of Teleworkers Who Teleworked Full-time, before and during the COVID-19 Pandemic 16. Figure 5. Agencies Identified Challenges Related to Telework during the COVID-19 Pandemic 19. Figure 6: Workplace Changes and Related Actions That Federal Agencies Are Considering 25. Abbreviations CDC Centers for Disease Control and Prevention CFO Act Chief Financial Officers Act of 1990. COVID-19 Coronavirus Disease 2019. DHS Department of Homeland Security DOD Department of Defense DOE Department of Energy DOT Department of Transportation EPSLA Emergency Paid Sick Leave Act EHRI Enterprise Human Resources Integration GSA general Services Administration HUD Department of Housing and Urban Development NASA National Aeronautics and Space Administration NSF National Science Foundation OIG office of inspector general OMB office of Management and Budget OPM office of Personnel Management SSA Social Security Administration State Department of State the act Telework Enhancement Act of 2010.

8 USDA Department of Agriculture VA Department of veterans affairs This is a work of the 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 from GAO. However, because this work may contain copyrighted images or other material, permission from the copyright holder may be necessary if you wish to reproduce this material separately. Page ii GAO-22-104282 Federal Telework Letter 441 G St. Washington, DC 20548. February 8, 2022. Congressional Addressees Telework is an important human capital tool that federal agencies can leverage to help accomplish their missions and serve the American people, especially during times of emergency. Congress affirmed this more than a decade ago with the Telework Enhancement Act of 2010 (the act).

9 The act required agencies to develop telework policies and the office of Personnel Management (OPM) to provide guidance and report on telework use across the federal However, our prior work has shown that OPM has faced challenges collecting and reporting accurate federal government telework data to Congress and we recommended that OPM address these In March 2020, in response to the Coronavirus Disease 2019 ( COVID-19 ). pandemic, the office of Management and Budget (OMB) issued guidance instructing agencies to maximize the use of telework to allow federal employees to remain safe while working from alternative locations and maintaining mission-critical workforce Further, in November 2021, OPM encouraged agencies to re-evaluate their telework policies and fully 1 Pub. L. No. 111-292, 124 Stat. 3165 (2010), codified primarily at chapter 65 of title 5, United States Code.

10 The act defined telework as a work flexibility arrangement under which an employee performs the duties and responsibilities of such employee's position, and other authorized activities, from an approved worksite other than the location from which the employee would otherwise work. 2 GAO, Federal Telework: Additional Controls Could Strengthen Telework Program Compliance and Data Reporting, GAO-17-247 (Washington, : Feb. 17, 2017). We recommended that OPM should strengthen controls for reviewing, validating, and reporting telework data in annual Status of Telework in the Federal Government reports. OPM did not concur with our recommendation. In September 2021, OPM officials told us the agency continues to disagree with the recommendation. We continue to believe that strengthening OPM's controls would improve the quality of telework data for its reports to Congress.