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Washington, D.C.— Today’s approval by the House of Representatives of federal telework legislation will provide the impetus for the federal government to take advantage of the benefits of telework, including reduced traffic congestion, decreased pollution, energy savings and improved employee morale and productivity, said the leader of the nation’s largest independent union of federal employees.

“This legislation simply makes sense,” said President Colleen M. Kelley of the National Treasury Employees Union (NTEU). “It saves money for federal taxpayers by allowing agencies to improve productivity and reduce overhead costs; local taxpayers save money by curbing funds for road construction, pollution abatement, and commuting costs; and federal employees have greater flexibility and are able to make better use of their time.”

The Telework Improvements Act, H.R. 1722, is a bipartisan bill sponsored by Reps. John Sarbanes (D-Md.), Frank Wolf (R-Va.) and Gerald Connolly (D-Va.). The bill calls for federal agencies to appoint telework managing officers, and will ensure that all eligible federal employees can participate. The legislation has already passed the Senate, and President Obama is expected to sign the bill into law.

“As many private sector employers already have learned, telework programs provide ways to increase productivity and take full advantage of the time and energy of the workforce,” Kelley said. “As a strong proponent of increased telework opportunities, NTEU plans to work closely with agencies to see that the full potential of the legislation is realized.”

Kelley, who has long been an advocate of expanded telework in the federal workplace, pointed to the value expanded programs had during the government shutdown earlier this year when more than three feet of snow from back-to-back blizzards fell in the Washington, D.C., region.

“At agencies with enhanced telework programs in place, federal employees were able to continue working through the snowstorm and save taxpayers tens of millions of dollars by avoiding lost productivity due to the shutdown,” Kelley said.

Earlier this week, Kelley sent a letter to every member of the House emphasizing the proven benefits of telework and urging the passage of H.R. 1722.

NTEU represents more than 150,000 employees in 31 agencies and departments.