For longtime advocates of telework in government, February's Snowmageddon was a mess just waiting to happen.
Althogh this winter's record-breaking mid-Atlantic snowfall provided the perfect opportunity for telework to prove itself, some who tried it found that it's easier said than done.
The heavy snows of the past week should put a greater commitment to telework on the government’s front burner, to judge from the comments posted to our coverage. But many seem to fear that entrenched opposition will cause any push toward telework to fade as quickly as the snow.
OPM Director John Berry fielded questions about telework during an online chat session today and said he was optimistic that the blizzard experience would drive home to agency leaders the importance of making telework possible.
Now that severe weather in the nation's capital and elsewhere have provided ample opportunities for testing continuity-of-operations plans, federal employees have some thoughts.
Trudy Walsh blogs about Washington's penchant for panicking at the sight of snow—but concedes that the panic may be appropriate for the blizzard of 2010.
It's a worst-case scenario for teleworkers — being caught in a blizzard with no electricity — but they find a lifeline in the form of their smart phone and a car charger.
Traffic and shopping aren't the only things that have ground to a standstill during Washington's blizzard of 2010. Add the federal Office of Personnel Management Web site to the list.
Another massive snowstorm threatens the Washington metropolitan area, overwhelms OPM's Web site, closes the federal government and sparks telework complaints.
Many federal employees say they are continuing to work even though they can't get into the office.
FCW readers say agencies have no excuse for not making it easier for employees to work from home.
The unexpected closure of federal offices in Washington D.C. today could be a day for learning the ins and outs of successful teleworking, suggests the director of a teleworking group.