US must do better at enabling federal employees to telework

[Commentary] Empty downtown buildings should not create a government standstill. And it should not take a natural disaster or terrorist attack to highlight the importance of having federal employees plugged in and ready to do the government's work from home.

The vast majority of homes in the Washington area are equipped with computers and Internet service, not to mention land-lines and cellphones. Federal employees should be encouraged to use these tools to remain productive when they are unable to come into the office.

Reps. John Sarbanes (D-MD), Frank R. Wolf (R-VA) and Gerald E. Connolly (D-VA) have proposed legislation that would help nudge the government toward the goal of increasing the government's telework capabilities by 50 percent by the end of 2011 while recognizing that each agency must choose an approach that makes sense for its particular mission and cybersecurity needs.