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~ Encourages individuals, organizations to telework on August 3, 2009 ~
COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA Office of the Governor
Timothy M. Kaine FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Governor July 15, 2009
Contact: Gordon Hickey Phone: (804) 225-4260 Cell Phone: (804) 291-8977 Internet: www.governor.virginia.gov
Contact: Meghan O’Neil/Telework Exchange Phone: (703) 883-9000 ext. 125 Cell Phone: (804) 291-8977 Internet: www.teleworkexchange.com
RICHMOND – Governor Timothy M. Kaine today joined Telework!VA and Telework Exchange in encouraging individuals and organizations to pledge to telework from home or a remote location on Telework Day – Monday, August 3, 2009. Employees and organization representatives across Virginia can visit www.teleworkexchange.com/teleworkday to sign up to telework, calculate the potential cost savings and environmental savings realized by teleworking, determine telework eligibility, and access additional telework-related resources.
“Telework is a family-friendly, business-friendly public policy that promotes workplace efficiency, reduces strain on transportation infrastructure, and provides an opportunity to ‘green’ Virginia,” Governor Kaine said. “We encourage organizations and individuals in Virginia to take the Telework Day pledge and see how telework can help them improve productivity and business operations, while also benefiting the environment.”
Telework Day follows on Governor Kaine’s June 10, 2009 executive order to reduce energy consumption and increase energy efficiency at executive branch agencies and institutions. The goal of Telework Day is to encourage private employers to offer telework to their employees on this one day as a catalyst to drive more pervasive telework adoption across Virginia.
“Telework Day also provides a prime opportunity for organizations to test their business continuity plans,” said Karen Jackson, Deputy Secretary of Technology, Commonwealth of Virginia. “Telework allows employees to conduct work away from their primary workplace in the case of an emergency or natural disaster. We encourage organizations to ‘stress test’ their business continuity plan and infrastructure during Telework Day.
Telework Exchange is a public-private partnership focused on demonstrating the tangible value of telework and serving the emerging educational and communication requirements of the Federal teleworker community. The Telework!VA program was launched by the Department of Rail and Public Transportation to help reduce the number of commuters on Virginias roadways. The program provides incentives for Virginia businesses to establish or expand telework programs for employees.
“Telework Day is an important opportunity to advocate telework as a business strategy that can have a positive impact on the bottom line and improve organizational efficiency, while at the same time reducing traffic on Virginia’s roads. Telework is one of the most effective ways for people to greatly reduce their work-related carbon footprint and demonstrate that ‘work is something you do, not a place you go,’” said Jennifer Thomas Alcott, Program Manager of Telework!VA.
“It is incumbent that businesses and government agencies support efforts to promote widespread adoption of telework,” said Cindy Auten, General Manager of Telework Exchange. “It’s now imperative that employees and managers alike take the next step and embrace the notion of telework. Telework Day provides that important opportunity.”
For more information on Telework Day, to make an individual pledge, or to make a pledge on behalf of an organization, visit www.teleworkexchange.com/teleworkday. The Commonwealth of Virginia, Telework!VA, and Telework Exchange will release a post-Telework Day report in August, highlighting the impact of Telework Day on Virginia organizations and constituents.
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