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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMINUTES - 11191991 - 2.5 TO: BOARD OF SUPERVISORS '� Contra °s Costa FROM: VAL ALEXEEFF, DIRECTOR OF GROWTH MANAGEMENT AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AGENCY - s CO DATE: NOVEMBER 19, 1991 SUBJECT: Telecommuting Policy SPECIFIC REQUEST(S) OR RECOMMENDATIONS) & BACKGROUND AND JUSTIFICATION RECOMMENDATIONS 1. Support in concept the development of a telecommuting program for County employees; and 2 . Request the Internal Operations Committee to establish a County Telecommuting Committee to. prepare the guidelines for this program and to bring an implementation program back to the Board for approval. FISCAL IMPACT None immediately. However, implementation of telecommuting program would require some level of funding which will be specified in future board orders. BACKGROUND/REASONS FOR RECOMMENDATIONS On September 10, the Board referred a report on San Mateo County's telecommuting program to GMEDA and the Community Development Department and directed that this program be reviewed when designing programs for the County and businesses in unincorporated areas to comply with the Transportation System Management (TSM) ordinances. This issue has two aspects: (1) developing a telecommuting policy for County employees and (2) ensuring that credit for telecommuting is given to companies in the unincorporated area seeking compliance with the County's TSM ordinances. This board order responds to the first point. The second point will be addressed in amendments to the County's TSM ordinances which will be submitted to the Board shortly. CONTINUED ON ATTACHMENT: X YES SIGNATURE RECOMMENDATION OF COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR RECOMMENDATION OF BOARD COMMIT EE APPROVE OTHER SIGNATURE(S) : ACTION OF BOARD ON November 19, 1991 APPROVED AS RECOMMENDED x OTHER VOTE OF SUPERVISORS I HEREBY CERTIFY THAT THIS IS A x UNANIMOUS (ABSENT TRUE AND CORRECT COPY OF AN AYES: NOES: ACTION TAKEN AND ENTERED ON THE ABSENT: ABSTAIN: MINUTES OF THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS ON THE DATE SHOWN. Orig: GMEDA ATTESTED November 19, 1991 cc: Internal Operations Committee PHIL BATCHELOR, CLERK OF CAO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS CDD AND COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR Personnel Data Processing BY DEPUTY Board of Supervisors Telecommuting Policy November 19, 1991 Page Two Telecommuting - allowing employees to work at home or a satellite work facility during agreed upon periods using the telephone, computers, modems, and/or fax machines - has received growing recognition as a means of reducing traffic congestion, improving air quality, reducing energy consumption and, as an added benefit, improving the morale of employees. A growing body of research and experience has developed in recent years to address the issues inherent in this concept. Typically, a written agreement between employer and employee governs the terms of telecommuting. Among the jurisdictions which have implemented telecommuting are the State of California, which completed a 2-year telecommuting pilot project for 150 employees, Los Angeles, San Diego, and San Mateo Counties, and the Cities of Palo Alto, Ventura and San Diego. In addition, the City of Walnut Creek recently sponsored a conference on telecommuting. In the private sector, Pacific Telesis has been a leader in exploring the concept and developing guidelines for employers. From a transportation planning perspective, telecommuting is attractive because it eliminates work trips and reduces congestion and the need for parking spaces. Telecommuting Policy For County Employees Following the Boards approval of this Board Order, the following process will be used to establish and implement the telecommuting policy: a. Request the Internal Operations Committee to establish a County Telecommuting Committee to develop program guidelines for the telecommuting program. This group would be comprised of representatives of the CAO, GMEDA, Personnel, Data Processing and other County departments and would be staffed by the Community Development Department. b. Present the concept of telecommuting at a meeting of County department heads, bringing in a telecommuting expert to explain the concept and answer questions. C. Present the completed telecommuting program to the Board of Supervisors for approval. d. Implement the program. A Working Paper (see Exhibit) has been developed to assist the Telecommuting Committee. Some of the major issues which this group must address include the following: - Should a limited trial run of the telecommuting policy be conducted or should the program be implemented immediately by all County departments? - Could satellite offices be provided at County facilities in outlying areas such as the East County for use by employees living nearby? - Who can participate in the program? Who approves requests for telecommuting? - Will the County provide equipment such as computers for employees who telecommute at home on a regular basis? - How will the program be evaluated? M-TRANS/MUTELECOMM.BOS WORKING PAPER ON TELECOMMUTING FOR THE CONTRA COSTA COUNTY TELECOMMUTING COMMITTEE NOVEMBER 1991 Prepared by Community Development Department r INTRODUCTION Telecommuting is an idea whose time has arrived. The basic concept of working at home or at a location other than the normal worksite in order to reduce traffic congestion is clear. However, the specific arrangements for implementing a telecommuting program - including employee agreements and training for supervisors and employees- must be designed to meet diverse needs. The• expectations of managers and employees should be clearly understood. This Working Paper reviews some key aspects of telecommuting and raises some issues which the County's Telecommuting Committee must address. It has drawn on the growing body of literature on telecommuting and was written to assist the Committee as it works out the "nuts and bolts" of developing and implementing the County's Telecommuting Policy. Additional information and working experiences will be made available to the Committee. 1 I. ' WHAT IS TELECOMMUTING ? Telecommuting has been defined in various ways; some of these definitions are: - "using telecommunications technology to work in a location other than a traditional office setting" - "commuting by telephone instead of by car" - "moving work to people instead of people to work. " The basic idea is to substitute telecommunications technology - including any combination of the following: telephone, computer, modem, and fax machine - in place of the daily Journey to work. Flexibility is the key. Employees can work at home, a satellite office (which is owned by the same employer) , a neighborhood work center (in which several employers share space) , a public library, etc. Telecommuting can be done from one to four days a week, depending on the nature of the work. II. WHO CAN TELECOMMUTE? Most jobs include functions that can be performed outside the usual workplace. The key is preparation: organizing the work in advance and having available all the resources needed to complete it. Employees who are self-motivated and have good time management skills make the best telecommuters. Managers, secretaries, analysts, computer programmers, accountants, and bookkeepers are among the types of jobs which are suitable for telecommuting. J III. WHY HAVE A TELECOMMUTING PROGRAM ? Telecommuting provides benefits to the employer, to the employee and to the community at large. Relief of traffic congestion and improvement of air quality are two objectives which are currently motivating increased use of telecommuting. Additional benefits to the employer include improved employee efficiency and morale, reduced parking space needs, improved productivity, reduced absenteeism and turnover, and increased staff without the addition of office space. Employees who telecommute benefit from reduced commuting-related stress as well as savings in time and money, increased flexibility in scheduling, and increased family interaction. The community benefits from reduced traffic congestion, noise and emissions, less space devoted to parking, reduced fuel consumption and reduced demand for transportation facilities. IV. WHO HAS TRIED TELECOMMUTING ? Among the agencies and companies that have implemented telecommuting programs for their employees are: federal agencies, the states of California and Hawaii, Los Angeles, San Diego, and San Mateo counties, the City of Palo Alto, Pacific Telesis, IBM, Honeywell, and many others. V. WHAT ARE THE GROUND RULES FOR TELECOMMUTING ? Most agencies that have implemented a telecommuting program started with a pilot program. A telecommuting team or committee with representatives of management, employee organizations, and key departments such as human resources, data processing, and legal is established to develop the ground rules, monitor the pilot program and prepare the program guidelines. A telecommuting agreement between the employee and the employer sets forth the parameters of the program, including the work location, schedule, reimbursement for expenses incurred, and use of equipment and supplies. Training by specialists is typically required for supervisors and employees prior to embarking on the program. Many organizations designate a telecommuting administrator to develop support for, resolve problems and monitor the program. VI. WHAT ISSUES MUST BE RESOLVED BEFORE A TELECOMMUTING PROGRAM CAN BE IMPLEMENTED BY CONTRA COSTA COUNTY ? The success of a telecommuting program depends on careful planning. The experience of agencies which have already implemented telecommuting should be drawn upon. A pilot program for a. limited period can be used to evaluate and fine- tune the program. Among the major issues for Contra Costa County are the following: A. WHO CAN PARTICIPATE ? Is telecommuting a right or a privilege? How should participating employees be selected? Are there limits to the numbers of employees who participate? How many days per week can an employee telecommute? B. SHOULD EVERY DEPARTMENT PARTICIPATE ? Should some County departments be exempted from the program? Would this be fair to employees? C. CAN REMOTE COUNTY FACILITIES BE USED AS SATELLITE OFFICES? Can satellite offices be set up at remote locations near residential areas for use by various employees living nearby? Who provides the equipment and supplies if the offices are shared by several departments? D. WILL THE COUNTY PROVIDE COMPUTERS AND OTHER EQUIPMENT FOR TELECOMMUTERS ? Can employees use their own equipment? Who pays for repairs? Will the County supply equipment for employees who do not have their own? These are a few of the many questions and issues that must be answered before a telecommuting program is implemented. This working paper was prepared to provide a framework of discussion for the County Telecommuting Committee. Additional resources will be made available in the course of the Committee's work.