Welcome to the eWorkPlace Blog!

Recently, we have seen great strides in telework locally and federally. It’s really wonderful to see private and public sectors working together in a non-partisan manner for telework as a means to improve society as a whole. With the success of our Telework Twin Cities program, an ever-growing number of companies utilizing eWorkPlace services, and local public officials verbalizing their support for our work, we have been pleased as punch here at headquarters (and since we are a teleworking program, headquarters is pretty much everywhere!).

Major federal advances were also made for telework on April 14 when a House committee approved a government telework bill that "would require federal agencies to adopt policies allowing employees to work away from the office, with exceptions for those whose jobs cannot be performed elsewhere. Each agency would have to designate a telework managing officer to oversee the policies."

Passed by The Oversight and Government Reform Committee with bipartisan support and little debate, the voice vote added to the telework momentum in recent months. It is likely that a House vote will be scheduled by Memorial Day and we are looking forward to it.

Times they are a'changin'. Expect even greater strides for telework in the coming months!

Adeel Lari, M.B.A., P.E.
Director of Innovative Financing, Research Fellow, and Teleworker
Hubert H. Humphrey Institute of Public Affairs
University of Minnesota

Ladies and gentlemen, I am pleased to inform you about some good news. Wait. GREAT news!

Telework Twin Cities has been getting some great press lately. Even public officials are taking note.

Minneapolis mayor RT Rybak (D), Saint Paul mayor Chris Coleman (D), Bloomington mayor Gene Winstead (R), and Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty (R) have all unanimously proclaimed April 2010 “Explore and Experience Telework Month”.

It is really wonderful to see all the support across the aisle for telework. You can see Governor Pawlenty’s proclamation posted on our website as a PDF file here.

For those of you without Adobe, the proclamation text follows:

“State of Minnesota Proclamation

WHEREAS: Telework is the practice of working from home via technology such as internet and mobile devices; and

WHEREAS: There are many benefits of telework in Minnesota, from reducing traffic congestion to conserving energy; and

WHEREAS: Telework helps Minnesota families thrive and businesses prosper due to increased flexibility gained through the integration of work, home, and community; and

WHEREAS: Telework is an initiative of eWorkPlace, a state-sponsored program for Twin Cities Metro Area employers; and

WHEREAS: As an innovative model, eWorkPlace seeks to change and enhance the way Minnesota companies conduct business and increase awareness of the value of telework.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, TIM PAWLENTY, Governor of Minnesota, do hereby proclaim the month of April 2010, as:

EXPLORE AND EXPERIENCE TELEWORK MONTH in the State of Minnesota.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and caused the Great Seal of the State of Minnesota to be affixed at the State Capitol this 22^nd day of March in the year of our Lord two thousand and ten, and of the State the one hundred fifty-first.” 

It’s going to be a great April, folks! Happy teleworking!

Adeel Lari, M.B.A., P.E.
Director of Innovative Financing, Research Fellow, and Teleworker
Hubert H. Humphrey Institute of Public Affairs
University of Minnesota