The Senate last night passed a bill that would require agencies to expand teleworking opportunities for employees and incorporate such programs into continuity of operations plans.

S 707, the Telework Enhancement Act, would also require agencies to establish policies with the Office of Personnel Management allowing employees to telework from their homes or other locations, as long as teleworking does not interfere with employees' jobs.

Agencies also would have to designate telework managing officers, who would report to chief human capital officers.

The bill was sponsored by Sens. Daniel Akaka, D-Hawaii, and George Voinovich, R-Ohio.

"Advancements in technology mean employees will expect to be able to work at any time from any place, as evidenced by the thousands of federal employees who worked from home during last winter's snowstorms in Washington, D.C.," Voinovich said in a statement. "This bill will expand telework programs for federal employees and ensure the government keeps running during weather events or emergencies."

The bill would allow agencies to test a program where they pay travel expenses to teleworking employees who have to come in to the office. Under the program, teleworking employees would have to cover their own expenses for "a reasonable maximum number of occasional visits" to their offices before the agency would reimburse them.

Sen. Tom Coburn, R-Okla., added an amendment to the bill that would expand a similar program at the Patent and Trademark Office.

A companion bill has not been introduced in the House. Another telework bill, HR 1722, died on the House floor earlier this month.