HR 1722, or the Telework Enhancement Act, recently passed by Congress, aims to dramatically increase the amount of federal employees who participate in telework programs. Rather than mandating a specific number of federal workers that must telework, however, the bill simply requires agencies to determine within six months which employees are eligible to telework, to notify them, and to set a policy for them to do so.

Managers and employees are expected to work together to outline what will be expected of everyone in the new environment. Officials hope that the new legislation will cast telework in a better light and encourage more people to work remotely.

In 2008, just 102,900—less than nine percent of the 1.2 million employees eligible to telework that year—did so. This number is down from the 110,600 who teleworked in 2006.

In addition to work-life balance benefits, telework is proven to drastically reduce costs: The Patent and Trademark Office said it has saved $11 million in office space over the 13 years its employees have teleworked.

President Obama is expected to sign the bill in the coming weeks.

How do you feel about this bill? Do you—or anyone within your agency—telework?