Modernizing the teleworking moving forward using Lessons Learned during the covid19 pandemic. We should have some good come out of this pandemic. This hearing is focused on what we can gain, what gaps are still there, and what better we can do for this process. Its been a decade since the last telework legislation. The telework enhancement act of it set the baseline standards 2010. For them to follow with telework and over the last 10 years, weve seen great advances in technology and workforce expectations and the increase in cybersecurity threats. So many changes in the world, it makes sense to take a close look at the telework policies and strategies than the federal workforce. Current pandemic has acted as a magnifying glass for telework policy improvement. This Committee Held a hearing in july and during the hearing we were able to gather valuable information concerning what private employers have done to support the Remote Workforce and we were able to draw Lessons Learned with how they recalibrate the telework strategies and policies. During that hearing, we also gained some insight into what the current private workforce is demanding. This, coupled with the environmental challenges we now face, will help us create remote work policies that keep the federal work competitive with highly qualified individuals. Since early march, federal agencies have been forced to work with remote Performance Management on a massive scale. The pandemic has been extremely disruptive to all of our lives and im hopeful that we can shine the light on telework processes and find longterm solutions that provide real value for federal agencies and their employees. As i stated in the first hearing , there are some very important telework questions that i believe need clarity on in order for us to clear a path forward for the federal workforce. For example, how do we best prepare employees so that during a future disaster or pandemic, they can seamlessly transition into a federal workforce policy . How do we effectively train managers of Remote Workers . What tasks could be permanently telework, which would open up opportunities to hire anyone anywhere in the country . I want to make sure that cybersecurity threat overnight and i. T. Infrastructure improvements are with conversations. Today, i look forward to hearing from the front line. Ive heard about agencies overcoming a mostly Remote Workforce. But today, we have the opportunity to hear from the source. I hope we can use it to create a more flexible and competitive workforce. I do want to thank this panel for taking the time away from your very busy schedules. Youve been a part of this testimony, as well. We really appreciate the opportunity to pick your brain and to hear what the agencies have done and what experience you have gained in the process. For anyone watching this hearing, this is what were affectionately calling a hybrid hearing, with some individuals that are here in the room, though its very, very few, four of our witnesses that will testify in this hearing. Two of them are live. Two of them are remote. Most of the individuals that are here will be remote for this hearing and everyone is very well spaced during this hearing as well, to maintain social distancing in that time period. So were being attended to all of those basic elements through this, but i do want us to get this information out and its important that we get it on the record, as well. With that, i would like to recognize the Ranking Member and shes joining us remotely. Thank you very much, mr. Chairman, for holding this important hearing and as this is the last subcommittee hearing of the year i want to thank you for your leadership throughout this congress. It has been an absolute pleasure to work with you. I do want to submit a statement for the record from the American Federation of government employees. I appreciate all of our witnesses joining us here today. I had hoped all of our witnesses would have agreed to join the hearing remotely because i think that would be a great message to show the committee and the country as our covid numbers are increasing across the country and demonstrate our ability to work remotely and to adapt to this changing world. It is important for a number of reasons and the key one is to dispel the myth that telework means decross productivity and my office has been working completely virtual since march and theres been no disruption in our work. Every day, our team is working to help arizonans and we found it can improve productivity and improve and claim morale to care for their kids and loved ones. So, the key is to develop an effective telework strategy so that workers have the tools they need, and that everyone in the organization understands their policies and goals. I look forward to our conversation today on those topics, looking forward to more on the trials and challenges that come and what operational challenges remain. It is also important to know the risks of returning our federal workforce for the office too soon. According to a recent article, more than 100,000 federal employees nationwide have tested positive for covid. Many states have seen alarming rises in covid cases recently. This week in arizona, the percent of positive covid tests has reached its highest level in three months. And the number of arizonans hospitalized for covid was 70 higher than it was just on november 1. Our employees continue to work from home, there are some positions such as agents and officers at the border, our postal workers, and v. A. Staff who cannot do so. So to protect those individuals , its critical that we allow telework to minimize the number of people in federal buildings. With that, mr. Chairman, i yield back and i look forward to hearing from our witnesses today. Thank you. At this time, i want to proceed with testimony from our witnesses. Let me do a quick introduction of the four of them. Joining us remotely is michelle rosenberg. She oversees the agencys work on Federal Capital issues. Prior to joining the team, she served over 20 years on gaos tenured health care team. Shes been recognized with Numerous Health care team awards , including two Meritorious Service awards and a distinguished service award. Shell be testifying first and joining us remotely. Mr. Keith washington is here, with the u. S. Department of transportation. Hes been with the Department Since 1991. In his current position, he provides leadership and oversight in the areas of Human Resources, security, audit relations, acquisitions and grants, and transportation and facilities and space management. Maybe you can lead nasa for us next since we need a new director for nasa since youre doing space management. What do you think . [laughter] ok. Well talk about that. Prior to this role, he was the director of the department was resource management. Sydney rose is also here. She is the chief Human Capital officer, which we affectionately call in d. C. The chico. She has over 40 years of federal service, all of which in Human Resources occupations. She is responsible for the human and is keyicies adviser to the department of leadership on employment and engagement efforts. She joined the u. S. Department of labor and has previously served with the bureau of labor statistics and the office of personalel management. Thank you for being here. Also joining us remotely is mr. Jim borland. He is the Deputy Commissioner and the Information Officer for i. T. Operations in the Social Security administration. He leads the aging computer infrastructure and acted as Deputy Commissioner, for Social Securitys office of disability , adjudication, and review. Prior to joining the Social Security administration, he served in analytical, technical, and leadership positions over 15 years with the u. S. Departments of agriculture and education here in washington, d. C. I want to thank all four of you for your preparation of being here. It is the custom of the Sub Committee to swear in all witnesses that appear before us. So, if i can ask you to please stand and raise your right hand. Yes, even remotely. Sorry about that. Ill get a good shot of your tie there, jim. Thats all right. Do you swear that the testimony youll give before this subcommittee will be the truth, the whole truth, and nothing, but the truth, so help you god . I do. Thank you. Let the record reflect that all witnesses answered in the affirmative. We are using a timing system , even with the folks joining us remotely, and they should be able to see the timer, as well as we go through the process and well stick as close to that to make sure we give as much time as possible for questions and conversations as we go through this in the process. So with that, i would recognize ms. Rosenberg for your opening statement. Chairman langford, and members of the subcommittee, i am pleased to be here today to discuss telework. Telework offers benefits to both the federal agencies and federal workforce. It can help with recruitment and retention of employees, reduce the need for Costly Office space , and and as the Ranking Member and as the Ranking Member mentioned, provide the opportunity to better balance work and family demands. Telework is a tool that agencies can and have used to accomplish their mission during periods of disruption. As you know, during the current covid19 pandemic, use of telework has allowed federal employees to work remotely in order to sustain Agency Operations and serve the American Public. Gao previously identified key practices in telework, literature, and guidelines that the federal agencies should implement as part of a successful Telework Program. Regular attention to the key practices can help to Foster Program growth and remove barriers to telework participation. My written statement was all of the key practices we identified. This afternoon, i will highlight three. First, telework agreements. To facilitate telework, agencies should have telework agreements that outline the agreed upon Work Arrangements between Agency Managers and teleworking employees. The telework enhancement act of 2010 requires agencies to have such written agreements. However, in 2017, we reported that selected agencies did not require regular reviews or document the reviews of the telework agreements. 2017 we re that selected agencies did not require regular reviews or document the reviews of the telework agreements. Given the likelihood of changes and work responsibilities and employees schedules over time its important for agencies to regularly review their telework agreements to ensure that they reflect and support their Current Business sneads in addition, if telework agreements are not uptodate, agencies may be using inaccurate telework data when making decisions such as Space Planning and technology investments. The second key practice i will highlight is training. Something senator langford mentioned. Telework involves a different way of working as well as supervising employees. As such, agencies are required to provide training to eligible employees and to managers of teleworkers. Such training should cover agencies telework policies and provide an orientation to telework and focus on Telework Program activities including the i. T. Applications used while teleworking and Performance Management. Our 2017 review of selected agencys Telework Programs found that managers were generally not required to complete telework training before approving the telework agreements. As a result, managers may have been approving or denying requests to telework before they fully understood the agencys telework policies and goals. The third key practice i will mention is Program Evaluation. Its important for agencies to develop Program Evaluation tools. This should include a tracking system that can help to accurately determine the status of telework implementation at the agencies. Agencies should use the evaluation tools to establish the program and their progress in achieving program goals. Agencies should then develop an action plan to guide any needed changes. Assessments of the costs and benefits including cost savings of agencys Telework Programs can help Decision Makers in determining the overall effects and value of telework. However, our past work found that selected agency his little data to support the benefits or costs associated with their Telework Programs. Opm has indicated that agencies have improved in their ability to track cost savings, but not all agencies are reporting cost savings information in response to the opm annual data work. In con clushgs the key practices geo has identified several of which are required by statute provide a road map for federal agencies to successfully implement their Telework Programs. However, weve previously found that agencies face challenges related to implementing Telework Programs that align with the key practices. The challenges agencies face provide a valuable learning opportunity as you look to expand and modify federal Telework Programs. Improving the mechanics of Telework Programs can have benefits to agency, federal employees and the public. This concludes my prepared remarks. I am happy to answer any questions you may have. Thank you. Mr. Washington . Chairman langford, members of the subcommittee, thank you for the opportunity to discuss federal telework during the covid19 Public Health emergency on behalf of the u. S. Department of transportation. I am keeg washingtith washingto been with the department for 29 years. The departments longstanding support and encouragement for telework across the widespread operations proved its value and stability when we quickly and seamlessly converted headquarters and Field Operations in midmarch to maximum telework to meet the covid19 Public Health emergency. Telework has been a critical flexibility that enables d. O. T. Employees to ensure america has the safest, most efficient and modern Transportation System in the world. It boosts our economic productivity and Global Competitiveness and enhances the quality of life in both rural and urban communities. Telework allows the department to achieve important performance goals and improve the departments capability to support homeland and National Security requirements while supplying the Work Life Balance outcomes. In 2013, well before the onset of covid19 d. O. T. Implemented an agency wide policy in accordance, and the policy encourages the use of telework and includes noting the eligibility status. That approximately so remains in effect today. G. G. And consistent operations. To ensure the vitality of d. O. T. s Telework Program, d. O. T. Conducts telework exercises to give employees and managers opportunities to practice working remotely and to test the Information Technology capacity to support telework. Those efforts resulted in additional investments in emerging technologies and innovation including Virtual Private Networks and Virtual Desktop infrastructure. D. O. T. s transition to maximum telework was virtually seamless following the onset of the covid19 Public Health emergency because of advanced preparations across d. O. T. , monthly teleworkers increased from 14,000 in february to 30,000 in march without disruption to the agencys mission on network. Under normal circumstances and typically under half of the d. O. T. Total workforce is telework eligible and about a total on average. Since the onset of the covid19 Health Emergency, upwards of 60 of the total workforce, teleworks monthly. The remaining positions are in positions that require the physical presence to perform their core responsibilities such as air Traffic Controllers in the federal aviation administration, line handlers in the st. Lawence seaway in the maritime administration. Perhaps, one of the most viable Lessons Learned was to use a considerable degree of flexibility when leveraging the telework policy, work scheduling procedures and the flexibilities and authorities. As a result, some offices are reviewing plans to reduce their Office Footprint by eliminating lease space and maximizing work and telework once the covid19 Public Health emergency ends. The maximum telework environment has provided d. O. T. With the opportunity to test and implement