You wouldn’t think that the IRS was interested in saving money, but that’s exactly what they did this past year through changes they made in their telework program.
Did you know that there are about 28,000 employees participating in their “flexiplace” program who use approximately 136 sites? I had no idea!
They managed to save an estimated $10 Million a year with a new, less expensive program that flex employees can install themselves and which does not need nearly the technical support they were once fronting for the previous programs.
From IRS Telework Adds High-Speed Access, Saves Millions:
In the past three years, (the) IRS has used four different telework solutions and four different service providers, which had four different price tags. ERAP (the Enterprise Remote Access Program) simplifies the system — it has one set of system requirements, one solution and one service provider, said (Chief Information Office, Frank) Kist.
As an added interest, the General Services Administration just added the first-ever telework guidelines in the March 17th issue of the Federal Register.
The General Services Administration recently released the first-ever telework guidelines. The legal-eze is amusing in and of itself. I guess the phrase “alternative workplace arrangements,” aka AWA, can now be added to the growing number of telecommuting, telework and other work at home terms.
From the GSA’s FMR Bulletin 2006-B3:
The attached bulletin establishes guidelines for implementing and operating alternative workplace arrangements (AWA). These policies are designed to assist agencies in the design and operation of AWA programs as well as to resolve AWA issues commonly faced by agencies.
It’s quite a lengthy read but rather interesting to note that agencies can install phone lines in an private residence as well as pay the bill if the employee has been authorized to work at home but they can not reimburse that employee for heating and air costs.
Maybe an IRS flexiplace employee can comment here and let us know the ups and downs of working for the IRS!