Telecommuting is a viable employment option for people with
disabilities as much as, if not more than, for others.  The
following document describes a public-private partnership to
promote telecommuting opportunities for employers and employees.

Jamal Mazrui
National Council on Disability
Email: 74444.1076@compuserve.com

----------

              TELECOMMUTE AMERICA Discover a New Workplace

           An Effective Solution to Critical Workplace Issues

Workplace challenges today affect all of us -- employers and employees
alike. These challenges include increasing productivity, managing ever-
escalating overhead costs, enhancing our environment, saving energy, and
balancing work and family life.  Successfully addressing these
challenges points to the need for new, creative ways to work and manage
our businesses.  Fortunately, one alternative work arrangement has
proven to be profitable for businesses, motivational for employees and a
countermeasure for air pollution and traffic congestion. That work
alternative is telecommuting. More than eight million Americans are
estimated to telecommute from home, while many more telecommute from
satellite offices or telecommuting centers. It is a growing trend with
potential benefits for everyone. Telecommute America is an initiative
undertaken by several public and private organizations to educate the
public about telecommuting and its benefits,  and to serve as a resource
for those who are interested in establishing telecommuting programs. The
founding members are:

- Association for Commuter Transportation
- AT&T
- U.S. Department of Commerce
- U.S. Department of Transportation
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
- U.S. General Services Administration

Telecommute America is a national public awareness and education effort
that features telecommuting workshops, hosts telecommuting fairs, and
initiated the first-ever national Telecommute America Week in October of
1995.  Our mission is to advance the nation's understanding and scope of
telecommuting in all of its various forms: virtual office, work-at-home,
satellite office to telework centers, and communicate the many potential
benefits of telecommuting.

What Employers and Employees Are Thinking

Several recent surveys conducted by Telecommute America indicate that
both employers and employees see a need for telecommuting and believe
that it is a financially beneficial workplace alternative.  Listed below
are some highlights of two 1995 Telecommute America surveys, a telephone
survey of 200 executives of Fortune 1000 companies and an online
Internet and telephone dial-in survey of telecommuters and other
employees.

What We Learned From Employers

- The biggest advantages of telecommuting from an employers perspective
  are: better employee morale (79%) reduced costs -- office space (64%),
  reduced stress among employees (63%) and retaining valuable employees
  (63%).
- The top four job titles that senior executives believe would benefit
  from telecommuting include: information specialists, sales
  representatives, programmers, and market research analysts.
- More than one-half (57%) of the Fortune 1000 companies who are
  considering telecommuting, indicate that they expect to initiate
  programs within the next three years.
- Of the Fortune 1000 managers who have a telecommuting policy in place,
  almost all (92%) believe it is advantageous to the company.  Nearly
  half (43%) believe it very advantageous.
- Of the executives with telecommuting policies currently in place, more
  than 70% expect that more employees will telecommute in the future.

What We Learned From Employees

- More than three-quarters of current telecommuters say they are more
  productive at home for one primary reason: fewer interruptions.
- Some 90% of current telecommuters say that telecommuting has helped
  them balance their work and private life.
- Most employees polled say they are afraid to ask their employers
  permission to telecommute.  The number one reason was fear that they
  will be viewed as less serious or less committed workers.

Knocking Down Barriers

Since the benefits of telecommuting are so valuable, it is worth  the
effort to break down the prevalent myths and misconceptions about
telecommuting.

Telecommute America surveys uncovered two of the top concerns that
senior managers have about telecommuting:  a reduced level of control
and supervision; and potential erosion of the work team concept.  The
only way to overcome these perceived obstacles is through education.
American business is changing.  The dynamics of the workplace are
changing. Executives who manage by results instead of by observation can
identify employees with personal skills and job requirements that suit
telecommuting. To run efficiently, effectively and profitably, today's
organizations must be prepared for the workplace of tomorrow.  This
means taking advantage of the technology offered to us -- personal
computers, modems, and all aspects of the National Information
Infrastructure (The Internet, World Wide Web, etc.).

But perhaps most appealing to the nations employers, telecommuting can
improve productivity and save money on real estate and associated costs.

Getting Started

We want to help you join the ranks of telecommuters or help you lead
your organization in developing a telecommuting policy.  This brochure
will provide you with lots of information about telecommuting and
specific strategies for getting started.

Designing a New Workplace

In most cases the traditional workplace was a single location everyone
commuted to and worked from during a predetermined schedule.  Today,
this definition is rapidly expanding to encompass growing usage of many
alternative workplace concepts.

Telecommute America is both a celebration of alternative ways to  work
and an opportunity to gain the experience and education necessary to
encourage acceptance and utilization of alternative work arrangements.
All of the exciting new workplace definitions share three
characteristics: - Location is not critical to performing your job. -
Computing and telecommunications technologies can replace commuting  to
a centralized workplace. - You, your organization and the community
benefit: consider the increased capital savings, productivity and
efficiency, schedule flexibility, better work/personal life balance,
benefits to the environment, energy savings and competitive advantages
associated with telecommuting.

Telecommuting is an encompassing concept that has emerged as an umbrella
term referring to the wide range of alternative officing arrangements.
The term is often used to symbolize the substitution of computing and
telecommunications technology for the  traditional automobile or bus
commute.  Its a marriage of contemporary workstyles with innovative
technologies.

Typically, telecommuters spend only part of each week working in the
traditional office; they spend the rest of the week performing job
duties in their homes or in telecommuting centers (telework centers)
near their homes. According to New York-based research firm Find/SVP,
telecommuters are the fastest growing segment of the work-at-home
movement.  Between 1993 and 1994, Find/SVP survey results showed a 20%
increase in the number of telecommuters. There are approximately eight
million telecommuters nationwide.  Of these, 6.6 million are corporate
telecommuters with the remainder defined as contract workers who work
full-time from a home-based office.

Federal, state and local governments are supporting home-based and other
telecommuting initiatives. California's Department of Transportation
(CalTrans), for example, has funded the establishment and evaluation of
12 additional telework centers statewide. The U.S. General Services
Administration is also establishing multipurpose telework centers in
partnership with California and Washington state. In fact, the federal
government is implementing a National Telecommuting Initiative sponsored
by the President's Management Council that will cover 30 metropolitan
areas and help to increase the number of federal telecommuters to 60,000
by 1998. In addition to these efforts, the U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency's Transportation Partners works with municipalities, business
people and citizens to provide commuting alternatives and thereby reduce
pollution.

New Workplace Options

Telecommuting/Telework Centers - Telecommuting centers feature equipment
and space designed for use on a shared basis.  Employees who work at
these centers are those for whom the center locations are more
convenient than a centralized office locations. The number of telework
centers is also growing.

Satellite Offices - These are offices typically operated by and for a
single employer.  Nationwide, many companies are finding it makes sense
to open satellite offices to reduce commute times for employees and help
alleviate city traffic-and-parking congestion problems.

Hoteling - This is an office operation where space is designed for use
on a shared, as-needed (drop-in) basis.  Employees literally check in
and out of this office space and have access to all the standard
business tools and technologies necessary to do business.

Virtual/Mobile Office - These workers are equipped with the tools,
technology and skills to perform job duties from wherever the person
needs to be -- home, office, hotel, car, customer's location, etc.
Mobile workers may have a traditional office base, but not necessarily
an individual assigned office.

Teleservices - Availability of teleservices is growing based on socio-
community economic benefits and the potential of improved customer
service. A business may find that it makes sense to deploy remote
call-center representatives to take calls routed calls from a home-based
office. Teleservices can be utilized to improve access to information
and government services in inner cities and rural areas by providing
information via the telephone, video and computer links establishing
mobile service programs or satellite offices closer to people who use
them.

New Ground -- Give It A Try

Individual Participation

If you are already enjoying some type of telecommuting arrangement,
congratulations.  If you're looking to trial telecommuting, start by
requesting approval from your supervisor to try working from home or a
telework center in your area.  As a first step to approval, we suggest
writing a memo that includes the following: - Outline the business,
personal and professional benefits you expect to achieve by
telecommuting. - Describe the new workplace option you'd like to
discover and explain why. - Include example and pertinent information in
this brochure. - Volunteer to write a summary of your experiences that
can be shared with others in your workplace. - Suggest ordering and
reviewing the Telecommute America Guidebook for implementation
instructions, and you and/or your supervisor attend a Telecommute
America Educational Seminar.

Once you have received approval to participate, the following checklist
provides some tips for planning ahead to get the most out of your
telecommuting experience.

- Determine the business tools you require to work productively away
  from your traditional office setting.
- Plan to work on tasks that can be accomplished using those resources.
- If necessary, and approved by your supervisor, locate office services
  near you for faxing, copying and other services that you may require.
- Decide how you will stay in contact with co-workers, customers,
  clients and the main office (using a combination of telephone, fax,
  electronic mail,  computer/modem links, voice messaging, etc.)
- Investigate and plan how you will handle your messaging needs.
- Make sure that your coworkers and customers know how to reach you.
- Follow up with your supervisor to suggest setting up a pilot program
  within your organization.

Group and Organizational Participation

If you're interested in helping to promote telecommuting efforts within
your company, advanced planning and good communications will be required to
spearhead the efforts.

As a first step, the following actions should be taken:
- Obtain support from the top of your group or company.
- Develop a policy for participation.
- Suggest steps for approval of potential participants.
- Devise an implementation committee and process.
- Package and distribute information provided by Telecommute America.
- Prepare and distribute background reference material.
- Plan at least one orientation/training meeting prior to implementation.
- Create a participation recruitment goal, evaluation and plan, then
  track the results.
- Share results at all levels within the group or company.

With a plan in place and top-level support, take the next step and
establish your telecommuting implementation committee.  Its a good idea
to recruit from a variety of expertise such as human resources,
training, information systems, telecommunications and data services,
employee communications or public relations, financial management, labor
relations, legal counsel and transportation coordinators.  You are now
ready to implement the plan and maintain the overall support structure
using the following  checklist:

- Provide a consistent vision.
- Communicate logistics and support material.
- Emphasize the benefits of telecommuting.
- Guide the selection of participants by developing a criteria checklist.
- Manage all aspects of telecommuting implementation.
- Drive acceptance of telecommuting and related workplace concepts.
- Ensure that participation has specific rewards.

Entrepreneur and Home-based Business Participation

If you're already a home-based business owner, chances are you're
already taking advantage of today's most advanced technology and
business communication tools.  If so, you are in a unique position to
educate friends, clients, customers or professional affiliates abut
workplace alternatives like telecommuting.

If you are not as technologically sophisticated as you would like to be
and feel you could better service your clients and customers by learning
more about advanced technologies; or, if you would like to learn more
about setting up a virtual office and hiring other work-at-home
employees, the resources listed in the back of this booklet could serve
as a valuable resource for you.

New Workplace Basics

You're interested in starting a telecommuting program within your
organization.  You'd like to take advantage of today's mobile technology
to free yourself from the confines of the traditional office.  You've
dreamed of starting a home-based business and want to learn the basics
of setting up a home office.  Or, you just want to discover today's
workplace options. Wherever your journey of discovery takes you, there
are a few basics to consider.

For Consideration

- Assess your job and personality for compatibility with a telework
  arrangement.  Most successful telecommuters are self-motivated, well-
  organized and conscientious workers.  New workplace situations tend to
  require less daily face-to-face interaction, rely on information
  management and are not suitable for every job or person.
- Discuss your plan to work at home with other household members.  Would
  they object to your using part of the home as an office?
- Set firm boundaries on distractions from relatives and friends.  Make
  sure they understand that you are working, even if you are at home.
- Keep existing child and elder care arrangements in place.
  Telecommuting or working from a home-based office are not substitutes
  for child or elder care.
- Arrange access to all the business tools you would normally use in a
  traditional office setting.  If you work on Local, or Wide Area
  Networked computing applications or a central computing system, will
  you be able to establish remote communication links?  If not, could
  you still work productively from home one or two days a week without
  access to the same tools?
- Procure the right equipment.  Are you willing to provide your own
  equipment in the event you employer does not provide assistance in
  equipping an office?
- Compose a written agreement with your supervisor as to the nature of
  your job, what hours you will be working, and the results by which
  you'll be measured. This helps eliminate the opportunity for
  communication breakdown and telecommuting failure.

Selecting and Using Telecommuting Centers

Many of the considerations for home-based telecommuters apply to center-
based telecommuters.  Carefully review the home-based telecommuter
considerations.

- Visit the intended center site and see if it has adequate
  transportation access, parking and location convenience (significantly
  nearer to you than your main office); easy to get to; near places of
  business, shops, stores, etc. for your personal needs (lighting,
  noise, ventilation, privacy, etc.) Determine any other work-related
  needs.
- Inquire about the current and future pricing, billing and
  contracting(leasing) information.  Is it consistent with your
  organizations budget?  Is it reasonably cost effective?
- Finally, carefully examine and consider the telecommunications
  capability and its adequacy for your job.

Setting Up a Safe Home Office

The following information is provided to assist you in designing,
establishing and/or adjusting your home workspace for safety, comfort
and efficiency.

Equipment Needs

Home-based telecommuters usually require some equipment to work on their
own and to communicate with others.  Often, an employer will provide
this equipment, but you may prefer -- or be required -- to use your own.
Either way, you'll want to assess your needs.  Typical home-office
setups include:- Computer- Modem- Fax- Printer- Dedicated phone line(s)-
Software

Remember, if you have a modem and/or work at the office as well as at
home, you can often avoid the necessity for a printer or fax machine.
You can simply send the document over the modem, or you can save it to a
disk and take the disk into the office for printing and duplication.

If you use your own equipment, be sure to check with your employer as to
who is responsible for repairs if you encounter a problem while working.

Furniture, Lighting and Location

The height of your desk or table should be comfortable for computer
work, writing or reading.  Conventional desks are usually 29 inches
high.  The recommended height for a computing surface is approximately
26 inches.

The chair is probably the most important piece of furniture in your
workstation. The seat should be adjustable and the height (measured from
the floor) of the top surface of the seat should be 15 to 21 inches.
The backrest should be adjustable (height and angle) and should provide
support for the lower back.  Armrests should be substantial, enough to
provide support, but not so large as to be in the way.  Try to arrange
your office furnishing for maximum ergonomic comfort:

- You should be able to sit up straight, keeping your neck as nearly
  vertical as comfortable.  Improper neck, arm, and wrist positioning
  are typical causes for strains, other injuries and discomfort.
- Position your computer screen at arms length from your face and
  slightly below eye level.
- Position your keyboard so that you can keep your arms and wrists
  straight.

Lighting can affect comfort, visibility and performance.  Whether you're
using natural daylight or artificial lighting, it should be directed
toward the side or behind your line of vision, not in front or above it.
Northern daylight is considered optimal for operating a computer.

Try to find a location for your home office that is out of the normal
activity areas to reduce noise.  Its ideal to dedicate a room where the
door can be closed and household members won't interfere with your work
tools.  Security and safety concerns also play a role in the location of
your office.

Electrical Safety

There are numerous safety considerations involved in the use of
electrically powered equipment and appliances.

Grounding: Generally most homes/buildings are provided with three-wire
grounded electrical outlets.  These should be checked by a qualified
electrician for correct wiring and adequacy of grounds for both your
safety and that of your equipment.  It is recommended that you use a
surge protector for all computer equipment.

Electrical Cords:  Appliance and equipment cords should be checked on a
regular basis for proper connection to the device, frayed or damaged
insulation, defective plugs and exposed wires.  The use of extension
cords in the workplace should be limited and closely controlled.  Try
rearranging the furniture or adding additional electrical outlets before
using extension cords.  When they are used, they should be of the same
or larger wire size as the cord being extended and have a compatible
connector plug. If an adapter is needed to connect the device to an
extension cord, the wrong extension cord is being used.

Electrical Outlets:  A major cause of fire is overloaded electrical
circuits.  This usually occurs through the use of multiple outlet
adapters or extension cords with a multiple outlet connector.  Limit the
number of devices connected to any outlet to the number of receptacles
provided by the outlet.  If additional outlets are needed, they should
be properly installed by a qualified electrician.

Storage and Security

To protect yourself from injury when lifting files or office supplies,
limit storage height to a minimum of 18 inches.  Store heavy items on
lower shelves and have a ladder or approved step stool available so you
can safely reach high places within your storage area.  Also, if you are
dealing with proprietary information and files, your management may
require you to have locking drawers and/or security passwords on
computers, voice mailboxes, fire-proof files, etc.

Resources

There are many new workplace resources to assist your participation in
telework.  The resource list below includes both retail and free
information sources.  In general, there is a cost associated with many
of the books, periodicals, publications, associations memberships and
other resources not available via the Internet or online Bulletin Board
Systems (BBS).

Books

Home Sweet Office. Jeff Meade. Peterson's (Princeton, N.J., 1993).
Discusses the costs and benefits of working at home,  how to propose and
implement telecommuting programs and insights for organizations that
offer telecommuting.

Making Telecommuting Happen. Jack Nilles. Van Nostrom & Reinhold (New
York, N.Y., 1994).  This book provides information gathered from more
than 20 years experience in the planning, development, implementation
and evaluation of telecommuting programs around the world.

Organizing Your Home Office For Success. Lisa Kanarek. Plume. (New
Jersey,1993). 800 526-0275

Telecommuting: How to Make It Work for You and Your Company. Gil Gordon
and Marcia M. Kelley. Prentice-Hall (Englewood Cliffs, N.J. 1986).
Provides advice to managers who supervise telecommuters.

Teleworking Explained. M. Gray, N. Hodson and G. Gordon. John Wiley &
Sons Ltd. (New York, N.Y., 1993).  This comprehensive book provides
advice on all aspects of telecommuting.

The AT&T Telecommuting Connection(TM) Kit.  The kit consists of an
informative videotape and handbook covering the environmental,
work/personal life and technological forces behind telecommuting. The
handbook includes information on how to implement a telecommuting
program, a sample telecommuting policy, telecommuters agreement,
telecommuter and supervisor surveys. 800-344-2133

The MITE Telecommuting Implementing Manual.  A user-friendly manual to
help organizations implement telecommuting arrangements.  MITE, 1900
Chicago Ave., Minneapolis, MN. 55404-5400

The Telecommuters Handbook.  Debra Shepp. McGraw Hill (New York, N.Y.,
1995).  A research guide to telecommuting that includes experiences from
companies with telecommuting programs as well as individual
telecommuters.

The Work-At-Home Handbook.  Lynie Arden, 1994.  Careers Center, 303-447-
1087

Working From Home.  Paul and Sarah Edwards.  Jeremy P. Tarcher/Putman
(Connecticut, 1993).  800-788-6262

Associations

American Telecommuting Association. Membership is open to any individual
or organization involved in any aspect of telecommuting. 800-ATA-4-YOU
Association for Part-time Professionals. Members include telecommuters,
part-time entrepreneurs and corporate employees working flexible hours.
703-734-7975

Association for Commuter Transportation. Dedicated to serving the
commuter- transportation industry and professionals with information
meeting the needs of its corporate and individual members. 202-393-3497

Home Office Association of America. A networking association that offers
group health insurance, access to lobbying groups, discounted regional
seminar fees and discounts on a variety of home-office merchandise. 212-
980-4622

National Association for Cottage Industry. With 16,000 members, this
association offers a wide variety of resources for entrepreneurs and
small business.  312-472-8116

National Association for the Self-Employed. NASE has approximately
300,000 members, a strong lobbying force in Washington D.C., and a
toll-free helpline with advice on everything from tax deductions to
moving your business out of the home.  800-232-6273

National Home Office Association. Offers information and provides a
legislative lobbying voice for home-office workers in Washington D.C.
800- 664-6262

International Telework Association. An international non-profit
organization which provides members with telecommuting information,
research, trends and networking opportunities.  202-547-6157

The Conference Board, Inc. Focus groups, research and the latest in
workplace trends and issues.  Conference Board Associate membership
information is available by calling 212-759-0900

Publications and Periodicals

Business Use of Your Home -- IRS publication 3587.  This reference
publication covers home-office deductions and tax law applicable to
using part of your home for business purposes.  To obtain a copy, call
the IRS at 800-829-1040

Home Office Computing.  A publication reporting on technology, marketing
and applications issues for consumers with home-based offices.  411
Lafayette St. New York, NY  10003.  800 288-7812

Mobile Office.  A publication by Cowles Business Media providing
portable computing and wireless communications for professionals who use
mobile information technology to solve real world business problems. 800
274-1218 National Initiative Action Plan.  The plan, from the U.S.
Department of Transportation, is both a how-to guide and background
piece on telecommuting.  U.S. Department of Transportation, Office of
the Secretary, P-35, 400 7th Street SW, Room 10305, Washington, DC
20590.

PowerSource.  A publication by AT&T Home Business Resources that covers
management, technical and financial information for home-based business
owners.  800-383-6164, ext. 3320

Tele Trends.  The official newsletter of the International Telework
Association.  202-547-6157

Telcommuting Review.  The monthly newsletter on telecommuting.  Gil
Gordon & Associates, 10 Donner Court, Monmouth Junction, NJ  08852
Work-Family Roundtable.  A quarterly newsletter on economic, social and
technological impacts on the worker and workplace.  The Conference
Board, Inc., 845 Third Avenue, New York, NY  10022-6601

Work Times.  A quarterly newsletter on national and international work
issues and projects in alternative scheduling.  New Ways To Work, 785
Market Street 950, San Francisco, CA  94102

Internet and Electronic Information Sources

EPA's Transportation Partners TransAct. The Transportation Action
Network (TransAct) is a new Internet resource providing technical
assistance, online conferencing, and opportunities to download and post
information. It also provides information on how EPA's Transportation
Partners program is encouraging economically and environmentally sound
applications of telecommuting and other communications technologies.
TransAct is operated by the Surface Transportation Policy Project, (202)
939-3470. On the World Wide Web, http://www.transact.org or, by ftp or
Telnet, transact.org. If you're not on the Internet, dial 1-800-787-7406
or in the Washington, DC area, dial (202) 319-1861.

EPA's Transportation Partners also features the National Transportation
and Environment Hotline with information about the programs and related
events. (202) 260-6830.

Small Business Administration Home Page. This World Wide Web home page
provides comprehensive information on SBA resources.  Contact
information can be found on either a national or state basis.  SBA files
are available by anonymous File Transfer Protocol (FTP) through a
browser which supports file transfer or addresses provided for direct
FTP.  The URL is http://www.sbaonline.sba gov/

Small Business Advancement National Center. An electronic research,
training, consulting and information can be funded by the U.S. Congress,
the Small Business Administration, the University of Central Arkansas
and various private entities.  The URL is http://wwwsbanet.uca.edu/
Telecommute America Home Page. In-depth program details, downloadable
how- to files including a copy of this brochure, Telecommute America
Seminar information, an on-line survey for Telecommute America
participants, a place to post information about Telecommute
participation and links to other telecommuting resources available on
the Internet.  You'll also find a listing of program sponsors,
co-sponsors and endorsers.  This page supports all browsers and is
located at URL http://www.att.com/Telecommute_America

The Telecommuting Archive. This Electronic Frontier Foundation World
Wide Web page supports most browsers and provides links to allow users
to download the Smart Valley Telecommuting Guide, as well as various
government documents related to telecommuting and the National
information infrastructure.  The URL is
http://www.eff.org:80/pub/EFF/Policy/OP/ Telecommuting?

TeleConX. An electronic communications and information system developed,
operated and maintained by the GSA Cooperative Administrative Support
Program.  This BBS supports users with private e-mail, public discussion
forums, teleconferences, file libraries, polls and questionnaires.
TeleConX is open to anyone interested in home-based and alternative
worksite service delivery cooperatives.  Direct modem access by dialing
202 501-7741 or telnet to Fedworld.gov to the Fedworld BBS and select
the TeleConX gateway (No.56)

Government Documents

Energy Emissions and The Social Consequences of Telecommuting.  U.S.
Department of Energy: Office of Policy, Planning and Program Evaluation.
202 586-4456

Managing End User Computing for Users with Disabilities.  U.S. General
Services Administration: Clearinghouse on Computer accommodation.  202
501- 4906

Promoting Telecommuting: An Application of the NII and In the
Information Infrastructure: Reaching Society's Goals.  U.S. Department
of Commerce, National Institute of Standards and Technology.  301
975-4529

The Federal Flexible Workplace Pilot Project Work-at-Home Component and
Interim Report: Federal Intragency Telecommuting Centers.  U.S. General
Services Administration, Office of Workplace Initiatives, Washington
D.C. 20405.  These documents are available on the TeleConX BBS in the
reports file library, 202 501-7741 (n81 modem parameter setting).  Modem
speeds up to 14,400 bps are supported.  Download either a
self-extracting WordPerfect 6.0 file (IR_FITC.EXE), or an ASCII format
file (IR_FITC.TXT). Transportation Implications of Telecommuting.  U.S.
Department of Transportation.  202 366-5403

If you or your company would like more information on becoming a
Telecommute America co-sponsor or endorser, write to Telecommute
America, P.O. Box 9536, Scottsdale, AZ  85252-9536

- Innovative technology and creative applications are erasing
  traditional workplace boundaries and enhancing peoples lives at home,
  at work and on the go, AT&T has been engaged in flexible work
  arrangements since the 1980s. Some 47,000 of our managers currently
  practice some  form of telework. -  Robert E. Allen, Chairman and CEO,
  AT&T

- Telecommuting will help America get the job done cleaner, cheaper, and
  smarter -- cleaner for the environment, cheaper for the taxpayer and
  business, and smarter for our future. -  Carol M. Browner,
  Administrator, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

- As many as 80% of all employers will have to access remote work in
  order to compete in world markets by the mid to late 1990s. -  The
  Yankee Group

- Department of Commerce officials say many U.S. businesses are
  discovering that alternative work arrangements --  such as
  telecommuting --  can be a valuable tool for competing in today's
  domestic and global marketplaces.  - U.S. Department of Commerce

Telecommuting is one of the fastest growing trip-reduction strategies
being adopted by private and public employers in their efforts to help
alleviate traffic congestion and reduce air pollution. Many businesses
are experiencing the benefits associated with telework options,
including increased productivity, reduced costs and improved morale. -
Dee Angell, President, Association for Commuter Transportation

- The key shift will be to support the varied ways in which people
  actually work, emphasizing performance rather than being in the office
  every day. -  Franklin Becker, Organizational Psychologist, Cornell
  University

- Our mission is to provide quality work environments for Federal
  workers. Employees who use telework centers and their supervisors see
  real improvements in productivity and the opportunity to improve
  customer service. -  Roger Johnson, Administrator, U.S. General
  Services Administration

Telecommuter Personal Characteristic Checklist

The following are sample selection criteria to assist in determining a
workers compatibility with telecommuting or related new workplace
situation.

- Positive attitude toward telecommuting
- Self-motivated- Results motivated
- Strong communication skills
- Requires minimal supervision
- Flexible and well organized
- Strong job knowledge and understanding organizations objectives
- Focused on job goals and objectives
- Can establish priorities and manage time well
- Successful in current and prior positions
- Home environment conducive to telecommuting

Job Requirement Checklist

Many of today's information-based job categories are compatible with one
or more new workplace options in general, the type of job performed
should fit the following criteria:

- Job has tasks suited for home-based telework center mobile or other
  remote work.
- Job does not rely exclusively on resources accessible at the
  centralized work location or can access those resources from a remote
  location.
- Job has clearly defined work objectives.
- Face-to-face contacts can be scheduled in advance.

FOUNDING  MEMBERS

ACT - The Association for Commuter Transportation
AT&T
United States of America Department of Commerce
United States of America Department of Transportation
United States Environment Protection Agency
General Services Administration

SPONSORS

Mobile Office
Steelcase
Working Mother

ENDORSERS

ENVIRONMENTAL DEFENSE FUND
FAMILIES AND WORK INSTITUTE
INSTITUTE FOR THE STUDY OF DISTRIBUTED WORK
NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF WOMEN BUSINESS OWNERS
NEW WAYS TO WORK
PUBLIC TECHNOLOGY, INC.
RENEW AMERICA
TELECOMMUTING ADVISORY COUNCIL



Telecommute America
Post Office Box 9536
Scottsdale,  AZ 85252-9536

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