Res 0481-2023

Whereas, The U.S. Office of Personnel Management defines telework as a work flexibility arrangement under which an employee performs the duties and responsibilities of their position, and other authorized activities, from an approved worksite other than the location from which they would otherwise work; and Whereas, At the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, many New York City (City) agencies leveraged telework to accomplish their missions during a dangerous and disruptive time; and Whereas, Now that City workers have returned to their offices, many contend that a City telework policy would increase employee productivity, promote diversity and inclusion, and support employee retention; and Whereas, Workers report that teleworking eliminates the distractions of a traditional office setting, improving employee efficiency by allowing them to retain more of their time in the day and better accommodate their personal, mental, and physical needs to optimize productivity; and Whereas, According to U.S. News & World Report, telecommuters log five to seven more hours per week than non-telecommuters; and Whereas, Additional benefits of telework are greater location and schedule flexibility to accommodate people with disabilities, including mobility challenges and sensory impairments, and Whereas, Mass adoption of telework has the potential to expand employment opportunities for people with disabilities, for whom tasks like daily grooming and commuting can add strain and complexity to the day, and contribute to increased personal stress and safety risks; and Whereas, The convenience of telework, especially from the home, can offer an added incentive for many older workers to delay retirement or reenter the workforce; at the same time, employers could tap into this expanded labor pool without having to consider costs associated with office space and transportation; and Whereas, Telework offers a strategic recruitment advantage for employers; and Whereas, A December 2022 report by the City Comptroller (Comptroller) found that as of October 2022, the government vacancy rate almost reached 8 percent, far greater than the pre-COVID-19 pandemic rate of about 2 percent; and Whereas, According to the Comptroller's report, in many critical City agencies the vacancy rate stood far higher: the Department of Small Business Services' vacancy rate was 32.0 percent, the Department of Buildings' vacancy rate was 22.7 percent, and the Department of City Planning's vacancy rate was 22.3 percent; and Whereas, The Comptroller's report recommended that the City build a comprehensive strategy to attract, retain, and right-size the City workforce, including the implementation of telework for appropriate City titles; and Whereas, A telework policy tailored to the needs of each City agency has the potential to improve employee efficiency and cure staffing shortages, while encouraging the inclusion of marginalized groups in the City workforce; and Whereas, The New York City Teleworking Expansion Act, A.1435, sponsored by Assembly Member Nily Rozic, would require City agencies to establish a policy and program to allow employees to perform all or a portion of their duties through teleworking to the maximum extent possible without diminished employee performance; now, therefore, be it Resolved, That the Council of the City of New York calls on the State Legislature to pass, and the Governor to sign, A.1435, also known as the "New York City Teleworking Expansion Act." EA LS 5652/6121/6708/7216/7274/8271/8820 1/30/23