The House has invested in the capability for Member offices to adopt telework agreements and flexible work arrangements, boosting recruitment and retention.
Why This Matters
Outside of unique agreements made to support individuals with disabilities or caregiver needs, flexible work arrangements including the utilization of teleworking agreements were unheard of in Congress prior to the continuity challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic. However, throughout this decade, Members’ continued use of telework agreements for staff have boosted recruitment, retention, and the institution’s ability to continue functioning in the case of an emergency.
How It Happened
Every Member of Congress has autonomy over their team’s office management and policies. Following the COVID-19 pandemic transition to full-time telework for all staff, many Members decided to pilot ongoing telework agreements for their DC and district-based staff once workforces began returning to the office. As flexible work arrangements have become more commonplace in the private sector and the Executive branch, many Congressional offices are keeping pace with this modern employee benefit, increasing employee satisfaction and the likelihood of operational continuity in response to a disaster.
The Impact
In addition to being on par with flexible work arrangements that are more commonplace in the private sector and Executive branch, the House’s continued adoption and use of telework agreements has greatly boosted the institution’s resilience. When the House first adjusted to remote work in March 2020, few staff had been provided with laptops and other technology to work remotely, resulting in a frantic deployment of these tools to ensure continuity of the Congress. Today, it is common for Member personal staff, committee staff, and institutional staff to be provided an official laptop to use from an alternate location both for increased flexibility and in case of an emergency.
Additionally, the COVID pandemic pushed the institution to prioritize assessing and approving a number of technology platforms commonly used for telework, including Microsoft Teams, Zoom, and Webex — implementing recommendation #51. Staff continue to use these tools for meeting with constituents and advocates, who prior to the pandemic, would need to travel either to a district office or to DC to meet with the Member’s policy or casework team in person. This has resulted in a House that is more accessible than it was prior to the pandemic.
Next Steps
Although progress has been made in supporting the health and wellbeing of staff through offering them the benefit of flexible work arrangements, similar progress has not been made to allow flexibility for Members who may need special accommodations. Whether it’s a Member who just gave birth, one undergoing chemotherapy, or one who is away from DC to attend the funeral of a loved one, the House does not allow remote voting or participation in these special cases. Just as flexible work arrangements have been adopted in responsible ways that boost staff effectiveness, recruitment, and retention, similar benefits are possible for the Members themselves.
Glossary
ADA = Americans with Disabilities Act
AOC = Architect of the Capitol
CHA = Committee on House Administration
CAO = House Chief Administrative Officer
CDTF = Congressional Data Task Force
COLA = Cost-of-Living Adjustment
CPF = Community Project Funding
CR = Continuing Resolution
GAO = Government Accountability Office
GAO STAA = The Government Accountability Office’s Science, Technology Assessment, and Analytics team
GenAI = Generative Artificial Intelligence
HIRO = House Intern Resource Office
HDS = House Digital Service
LIS = Legislative Information Service
LLM = Large Language Model
MIA = Modernization Initiatives Account
ModCom = The House Select Committee on the Modernization of Congress
ModSub = Subcommittee on Modernization (ModSub) within the Committee on House Administration
MOU = Memorandum of Understanding
NMO = New Member Orientation
OCWR = Office of Congressional Workplace Rights
