3 minute read
Tele-Solutions
Telework and telecommuting offer opportunities to keep employees — and students — at work through COVID-19.
by Sierra Hatfield
From schools to supply chains to the workforce, COVID19 has upended life as we know it — or knew it. For the foreseeable future, several aspects of our day-to-day lives have changed, including how we work. In addition to determining what is considered an essential business versus what isn’t, states face another formidable challenge: giving citizens the support they need to keep working whenever and wherever possible.
One potential solution to keep citizens working is to offer telecommuting or telework. Many private businesses already give their employees the means to telework, but states as a governing body can play a bigger role when it comes to expanding alternative work arrangements for citizens who traditionally may not have had the ability to do so.
Wisconsin issued an advisory allowing government bodies to conduct meetings via phone as long as the public was still given access to tune in. Wisconsin took the recommendation a step further, urging these bodies to ensure that the meetings are accessible to all. This means the state must be mindful of those whose condition may prevent them from fully enjoying the broadcast, such as people who are hard of hearing. Wisconsin provides just one example of state leaders navigating their own teleworking style and ensuring that citizens still have transparent access to government affairs during the pandemic.
Traditionally, government business didn’t — or couldn’t — effectively telework, and some other professions are no exception. Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine sought to change that when he signed an executive order allowing counselors, family counselors and social workers the ability to telework without the need for excessive formal training. New Jersey issued similar guidelines in March for state agencies to implement telework policies, flexible scheduling and to temporarily re-designate employee assignments and responsibilities as needed for as long as New Jersey is under a state of emergency. These are two examples of states extending telework policies as an option to keep people working during a time when more than 26.5 million Americans are out of work.
But is it enough to consider the effects that COVID-19 has on just the workplace? The pandemic has also altered how many receive their education, and telecommuting remains a viable option for some of the challenges that social distancing has posed for students. For example, in addition to introducing a new statewide telework policy in February, North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper signed two executive orders in March that help students and teachers stay online. Executive Order 122 allowed donation or transfer of state surplus property to help schools respond to COVID-19, specifically including computers and other resources which may help distanced learning. Additionally, Cooper signed an order that prohibited telecommunications companies from shutting off amenities such as phone and internet service due to lack of payment during the pandemic. The North Carolina Association of Educators applauded the state’s efforts to keep students online in response.
COVID-19 is a not-so-gentle reminder that technology and connectivity can help employers, employees, students and teachers alike manage risks. Research institutions are already calling for more focus on America’s flimsy broadband infrastructure as data demands rise and new peaks in connections become the new average. Some even speculate that telework is here to stay as we invest so much time and resources into improving our situation and changing our habits; why wouldn’t we continue on this path in a post-pandemic world? Only time will tell just how much COVID-19 will permanently shape how we work. Until then, states are fighting to keep citizens on the job — whether that be in the office or on the couch.
