(a) The Commissioner of Administrative Services shall, within available appropriations, develop and implement guidelines, in cooperation with interested employee organizations, as defined in subsection (d) of section 5-270, authorizing telecommuting and work-at-home programs for state employees. Such guidelines shall be designed to achieve the following goals: (1) Increase worker efficiency and productivity; (2) benefit the environment; and (3) reduce traffic congestion. The guidelines of the telecommuting or work-at-home program and determination of whether an employment position is appropriate for such program shall not be subject to collective bargaining under the provisions of chapter 68.

(b) Any employee of a state agency may be authorized either by the head of such state agency or, for any employee of the legislative branch, by the executive director of the Joint Committee on Legislative Management, or his or her designated representative, to participate in a telecommuting or work-at-home assignment. Approval of such assignment may be granted only where it is determined to be in compliance with the guidelines developed pursuant to subsection (a) of this section. Any assignment shall be on a temporary basis only, and may be terminated as required by agency operating needs. Each state agency shall provide the Department of Administrative Services with a copy of any telecommuting or work-at-home program arrangement that it authorizes for any employee of such agency.

(c) The Commissioner of Administrative Services shall include in the annual report required under section 5-204 the extent of use by employees of the programs provided pursuant to subsections (a) and (b) of this section.

(P.A. 96-168, S. 20–22, 34; P.A. 10-169, S. 1; P.A. 12-205, S. 21.)

History: P.A. 96-168 effective July 1, 1996; P.A. 10-169 amended Subsec. (a) by requiring development and implementation of guidelines within available appropriations, replacing provision re cost effective arrangements with provisions re guideline goals and removing guidelines and determination of whether employee is appropriate for program from collective bargaining, amended Subsec. (b) by replacing provisions re approval of appointing authority and Commissioner of Administrative Services with provisions re who may authorize program participation, replacing provision re approval if determined to be cost effective with provision re approval if in compliance with guidelines, replacing provision re 6-month assignment period with provision re termination of assignment and adding requirement to provide copy of program arrangement, and amended Subsec. (c) by requiring report to committee having cognizance of matters relating to government administration, effective July 1, 2010; P.A. 12-205 amended Subsec. (c) to replace provision re annual report with provision requiring extent of use reporting to be included in report under Sec. 5-204 and add reference to “programs” re use by employees, effective July 1, 2012.