§ 587 — Telecommuting And Other Alternative Workplace Arrangements

(a) In this section, the term “telecommuting centers” means flexiplace work telecommuting centers. (1) The Administrator of General Services may acquire space for, establish, and equip telecommuting centers for use in accordance with this subsection. (2) A telecommuting center may be used by employees of federal agencies, state and local governments, and the private sector. The Administrator shall give federal employees priority in using a telecommuting center. The Administrator may make a telecommuting center available for use by others to the extent it is not fully utilized by federal employees. (3) The Administrator shall charge a user fee for the use of a telecommuting center. The amount of the user fee shall approximate commercial charges for comparable space and services. However, the user fee may not be less than necessary to pay the cost of establishing and operating the telecommuting center, including the reasonable cost of renovation and replacement of furniture, fixtures, and equipment. (4) The Administrator may— (A) deposit user fees into the Federal Buildings Fund and use the fees to pay costs incurred in establishing and operating the telecommuting center; and (B) accept and retain income received by the General Services Administration, from federal agencies and non-federal sources, to defray costs directly associated with the functions of telecommuting centers. (1) In this subsection, the term “alternative workplace arrangements” includes telecommuting, hoteling, virtual offices, and other distributive work arrangements. (2) In considering whether to acquire space, quarters, buildings, or other facilities for use by employees, the head of an executive agency shall consider whether needs can be met using alternative workplace arrangements. (3) The Administrator may provide guidance, assistance, and oversight to any person regarding the establishment and operation of alternative workplace arrangements. (1) In this subsection, the term “flexiplace work telecommuting program” means a program under which employees of a department or agency set out in paragraph (2) are permitted to perform all or a portion of their duties at a telecommuting center established under this section or other federal law. (2) For each of the following departments and agencies, in each fiscal year at least $50,000 of amounts made available for salaries and expenses is available only for carrying out a flexiplace work telecommuting program: (A) Department of Agriculture. (B) Department of Commerce. (C) Department of Defense. (D) Department of Education. (E) Department of Energy. (F) Department of Health and Human Services. (G) Department of Housing and Urban Development. (H) Department of the Interior. (I) Department of Justice. (J) Department of Labor. (K) Department of State. (L) Department of Transportation. (M) Department of the Treasury. (N) Department of Veterans Affairs. (O) Environmental Protection Agency. (P) General Services Administration. (Q) Office of Personnel Management. (R) Small Business Administration. (S) Social Security Administration. (T) United States Postal Service.