Telework Exchange

There are a lot of good reasons for agencies to embrace telework, but one that is often overlooked is its ability to attract, retain, and better accommodate employees with disabilities, including returning veterans, says Dinah Cohen, director of the Computer/Electronic Accommodations Program (CAP).

CAP, established in 1990 by the Department of Defense, is a government-wide program that provides the kind of electronic and assistive technologies needed to enable employees with disabilities to perform their jobs and be as productive as possible, in the office and at alternate work locations.

CAP currently has partnership agreements with 65 Federal agencies, as well as the DoD. Since its inception, the program has filled more than 71,000 requests for accommodations, including more than 1,500 requests to provide computers and assistive technologies at telework sites.

"Some agencies have wonderful telework programs, but when it comes to supporting employees with disabilities, program managers may not consider telework as a viable option, or they may not have even considered it," Cohen states. "We see telework as a form of reasonable accommodation as many people with disabilities, including many returning veterans, may need to work from home or would like to have the flexibility to work at home. These are talented, wonderful employees, and if they can be more productive by working at home at least occasionally, then we think telework is a smart way for Federal agencies to recruit and retain these valuable employees."

Importantly, CAP not only makes it easy for agencies to buy and set up the technology required to accommodate an employee with a disability at a home office or remote telework center, but it also foots the bill. CAP will pay for a range of equipment to facilitate teleworkers, including not only computers, software applications, fax machines, and printers, but also more specialized assistive technology devices such as screen readers, magnification software, word prediction software, and voice recognition software.

CAP does not pay for traditional office furnishings, lighting, décor, or for services that require a monthly charge, such as telephone lines or Internet access.

Cohen notes that CAP does not have set criteria as to what constitutes an eligible teleworker. To qualify for CAP assistance at their telework site, each employee needs medical documentation proving the disability and a signed telework agreement from his or her supervisor. "We depend on each agency to define what they want to use as their model for telework," she explains. Most agencies supported by CAP have employees working at an alternative work site at least one day a week.

To get started with the CAP process, managers who are seeking assistance for their eligible employees are encouraged to 1) visit the CAP Web site (www.tricare.mil/CAP), 2) complete a CAP request form, noting among other things, the type of equipment needed, and 3) fax in the signed telework agreement and the employee’s medical documentation. Under routine circumstances, CAP will have the equipment purchased and work with the agency to have it installed in the home office or telework center within four weeks.

If an employee is not sure what technology solution or equipment is appropriate for their unique needs, they can fill out an online needs assessment or contact the CAP office (703-681-8813 or cap@tma.osd.mil). Employees in the Washington, D.C. area also can visit the CAP Technology Evaluation Center at the Pentagon to see the available equipment and try it out (employees in other areas of the country can organize a demonstration via videoconferencing).

Cohen says that given the growing recognition of telework benefits, as well as the large number of veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan with physical, sensory, and cognitive disabilities, she is hoping that more agencies will extend the benefits of telework to its employees with disabilities. In recent years, the number of CAP requests for accommodations at telework sites has been flat at about 300 per year.

"For many people with disabilities, telework really can be the difference between being employed successfully and just sitting at home," she states. "It really behooves agencies to look at their telework program, strengthen it to be a program that can be better used by people with disabilities and disabled veterans, and take advantage of the expertise and support that CAP has to offer. This is an ideal opportunity for agencies to demonstrate their leadership as an exemplary employer for people with disabilities."

A Win-Win Situation

An employee who is out on workers compensation can be a huge drain on resources, but Federal agencies can cut costs and improve productivity and morale by leveraging telework and the Computer/Electronic Accommodations Program (CAP) to keep workers’ compensation claimants working – remotely.

In Fiscal Year 2008, CAP filled 88 requests for accommodations at telework sites for employees who technically are workers compensation claimants. "For some people who get injured on the job, they can either be sitting at home doing nothing or we can get them working again from home," says Dinah Cohen, director of CAP. "It’s a win-win for everybody involved."