OPM on Telework Bill: Yes, No, Yes.

OPM seems to be having some trouble making up its mind on whether it's going to propose new legislation that would enable agencies to require employees to telework under certain circumstances. GovExec's Daniel Pulliam reported that on July 18, at a House Government Reform subcommittee hearing, Daniel Green, deputy associate director of OPM for employee and family support, said that the agency was considering proposing a bill that essentially would allow agencies to force employees to telework during a pandemic health crisis.

But Government Computer News reported this week that Green was backtracking from that statement, saying that the agency has "no plan to pursue additional legislation on telework" and that the comments he made before the subcommittee had been "mischaracterized." An OPM spokesman told GCN that the "bottom line is, there never was legislation [planned] and there will never be any."

Now, Daniel reports, a quick call over to OPM finds the agency returning to Green's original position. A spokesman said OPM is working on legislation to revise teleworking rules for government agencies and that Green's statement before the subcommittee still stands.