Bill No.  12-14

Concerning: Personnel – Telecommuting - Amendments                                  

Revised: March 10, 2014 Draft No.    2

Introduced:      January 28, 2014            

Enacted:         April 22, 2014                

Executive:       May 1, 2014                   

Effective:        July 31, 2014                 

Sunset Date:  None                             

Ch.   12    , Laws of Mont. Co.    2014    

County Council

For Montgomery County, Maryland

By: Councilmembers Berliner, Floreen, and Riemer, Council Vice President Leventhal, and Councilmembers Elrich, Andrews, and Navarro

AN ACT to:

(1)        require the County Executive to adopt a regulation to identify the circumstances under which a County employee may [[telecommute]] telework;

(2)        require the Executive to adopt a regulation to establish procedures that a County employee must follow to obtain permission to [[telecommute]] telework; and

(3)        generally amend the law governing the County personnel regulations.

By amending

            Montgomery County Code

            Chapter 33, Personnel and Human Resources

            Article II, Merit System

            Section 33-24

Boldface Heading or defined term.

Underlining Added to existing law by original bill.

[Single boldface brackets] Deleted from existing law by original bill.

Double underlining Added by amendment.

[[Double boldface brackets]] Deleted from existing law or the bill by amendment.

*   *   *                                                  Existing law unaffected by bill.

The County Council for Montgomery County, Maryland approves the following Act:

          Sec. 1.  Section 33-24 is amended as follows:

33-24. [[Telecommuting]] Telework.

(a)     Definitions.  In this Section, the following words have the meanings indicated:

[“]Director[”] means the Director of the Department of Human Resources or the Director’s designee.

[“Sustainability Working Group” means the Group defined in Section 18A-13.]

[“][[Telecommute]][”] Telework means a work arrangement in which some or all of the work is performed at an alternative work site, such as a home or office space near a home.

(b)     [[Telecommuting]] [Action Plan] Telework.  The [Sustainability Working Group] County Executive must [prepare] adopt, by Method 1 regulation, a [Telecommuting Action Plan that sets out a] policy to permit eligible employees to [[telecommute]] telework and a plan [for increasing] to increase the number of County employees who [[telecommute]] telework.

(c)      Contents.  The [Telecommuting Action Plan] [[telecommuting]] telework regulation must:

(1)     [set numerical goals for the number of County employees who telecommute] require the Director to designate an employee to serve as the County [[telecommuting]] telework manager.  The County [[telecommuting]] telework manager must:

(A)    advise each County department and office on [[telecommuting]] telework matters;

(B)     serve as a resource for managers and employees on [[telecommuting]] telework;

(C)     develop, after consulting the County Attorney, a standard written [[telecommuting]] telework agreement between a [[telecommuting]] teleworking employee and the employee’s manager;

(D)    assist managers in determining the eligibility of an employee to [[telecommute]] telework; and

(E)     be the primary point of contact between the Office of Human Resources and each County department or office on [[telecommuting]] telework issues;

(2)     identify the circumstances under which a County employee may [[telecommute]] telework; [and]

(3)     identify procedures that a County employee must follow to obtain permission to [[telecommute]] telework;

(4)     require the execution of a written [[telecommuting]] telework agreement between an employee and the employee’s manager outlining each party’s expectations and responsibilities; and

(5)     identify the required [[telecommuting]] telework training for a [[telecommuting]] teleworking employee and a County manager.

(d)     Training.  The Director, after consulting the Chief Information  Officer, must establish an appropriate training course for a [[telecommuting]] teleworking employee and a County manager.

(e) Annual report.  The [Sustainability Working Group] Chief Administrative Officer must report to the County Executive and County Council by January 15 of each year on:

(1)     the actions taken in the preceding fiscal year to implement the [Telecommuting Action Plan] [[telecommuting]] telework regulation;

(2)     the number of employees [[telecommuting]] teleworking in each department or office during the preceding fiscal year;

(3)     the number of [[telecommuting]] teleworking hours worked by employees in each department and office in the preceding fiscal year; and

(4)     recommendations for improvements to the [[telecommuting]] teleworking regulation.

Approved: