CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE—
2017–2018 REGULAR SESSION
House Resolution
No. 124
Introduced by Assembly Member Harper
(Coauthors: Assembly Members Dahle, Gallagher, Lackey, and Mathis)
|
August 21, 2018 |
Relative to Telecommuting for Legislative Employees.
LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST
HR 124, as introduced, Harper.
Digest Key
WHEREAS, Telecommuting is the practice of working from home using technology like the Internet, email, and telephone to mitigate the effects of an employee’s physical absence from the office; and
WHEREAS, In the United States, 37 percent of employees telecommute, and 50 percent of employees hold a job that is compatible with at least partial telework, according to Global Workforce Analytics; and
WHEREAS, The state employs approximately 208,000 persons, according to the Controller; and
WHEREAS, While legislation has been enacted to allow and promote telecommuting for employees of state departments and agencies, no such program currently exists for legislative employees; and
WHEREAS, Telecommuting increases work productivity by promoting the effective use of new technologies within state service and improving employee morale, according to the Council of State Governments; and
WHEREAS, According to a 2015 Gallup Poll, 56 percent of people believe that employees who work remotely are just as productive as those who work in offices, and 24 percent believe telecommuters are more productive; and
WHEREAS, Flexible work options reduce employers’ costs by saving money on office space, reducing employee absenteeism, and avoiding lost productivity due to environmental factors; and
WHEREAS, Employers can save over $11,000 per half-time telecommuter per year, according to Global Workplace Analytics; and
WHEREAS, A well-managed telework program would help legislative employees reduce their carbon footprint and create a more eco-friendly California by lowering vehicle emissions, reducing electricity use, and saving paper, according to CalHR; and
WHEREAS, Even with the limited telecommuting options currently available, there has been a savings of 7.8 billion vehicle miles traveled throughout the United States; and
WHEREAS, The option to telecommute where appropriate would help legislative employees balance their careers with their increasingly busy personal lives, and would allow mothers and fathers to mitigate work/life conflict by being more available to their families; and
WHEREAS, Other states, including Virginia, Washington, Arizona, Colorado, Maryland, and Florida, have implemented telework programs via legislation and reported increased associated positive work outcomes; and
WHEREAS, Upon implementing his state’s telecommuting legislation, Virginia Governor Tim Kaine remarked, “There’s more work done, and more citizens served.”; now, therefore, be it
Resolved by the Assembly of the State of California, That a well-managed telework program would improve the productivity and job satisfaction of legislative employees, reduce costs for the Legislature, promote energy efficiency and lower carbon emissions for the state, and allow parents to better tend to their families’ schedules; and be it further
Resolved, That the California State Assembly supports the implementation of telecommuting programs for legislative employees where appropriate.