EEOC has set funding priorities to use technology to increase agency productivity and make needed information more easily available to its employees, customers, and stakeholders. These efforts include developing its public web site, placing computers and Internet access on every desk, developing local and wide-area networks, and creating an internal web site to do such things as share best practices and communicate policies. While these may sound like basic systems, they largely did not exist at EEOC prior to 1999. More recently, EEOC has implemented the Integrated Financial Management System (IFMS) and Federal Personnel and Payroll System (FPPS).

EEOC is also: piloting the Integrated Mission System (IMS), which will replace the cumbersome Charge Data System (CDS) and permit staff to access case data in all other offices; developing electronic charge filing, which will be implemented in FY 2003; exploring developing kiosks around the nation to make EEOC more accessible to citizens; and designing and testing electronic court document filing for all federal district courts. Some of these actions may be delayed, because EEOC has targeted IT funds for reprogramming to cover other expenses. Nevertheless, as this modernization proceeds, EEOC will need to ensure that its tools for electronic or telephone charges are supplemented with appropriate in-person customer service to develop information or respond to questions.

There is still much to be done to be able to use IT capabilities to meet mission needs. EEOC needs enhanced analytical capabilities and IT systems to use available information for strategic decision making. Examples are decision support tools that enable it to compare workload statistics against workforce data, and other tools for analyzing such things as industry trends and demographic data in terms of how they will affect EEOC work and the overall field of employment discrimination.

There are other basic needs as well, such as: enhanced telecommunications systems; videoconferencing or web cameras for remote case activity (such as mediation, deposition, hearings, conciliations); continued steps to enhance productivity and minimize the costs associated with repetitive operations; and office software that is compatible with what most respondents, charging parties, and stakeholders use.

Finally, there are many actions that EEOC needs to undertake to permit its workforce to be more mobile as telecommuters, to field mobile units for charge intake in underserved locations, and to conduct on-site work for mediation, investigation, and settlement negotiations. These include: converting from desktop to laptop computers for many positions; permitting secure at-home access to EEOC's internal systems; purchasing portable printers and scanners; and ensuring that all forms relevant to on-site work are available electronically.

The Office of Management and Budget has supported past EEOC initiatives for technology improvement, and EEOC's restructuring efforts clearly tie in with administration priorities. The Commission will need to develop a comprehensive assessment of its added technology needs, and supplement this with data on long-term cost savings brought about because of reduced real estate costs and, over time, possibly fewer staff.

This chapter first defines EEOC's essential technology requirements and then describes technology initiatives underway. It then addresses five issues that EEOC needs to more fully address-1) balancing technology with customer service, 2) enhancing analytical capabilities, 3) managing technology for operational needs, 4) supporting a more mobile workforce, and 5) considering EEOC's options for telework.

ESSENTIAL TECHNOLOGY REQUIREMENTS

EEOC technology requirements should enable it to:

· Communicate with and be accessible to the public. This requires a telecommunications system, e-mail capacity, web presence, voicemail, and fax, including computer-based faxing. All these capabilities need to be operated in a secure manner to protect confidentiality and ensure information privacy.

· Produce, share, warehouse, and transmit case decisions, depositions, discovery documents, mediation agreements, court orders, subpoenas, and other court and litigation documents. These require software and word processing capability as well as data tracking and document storage.

· Provide forms, publications, and information to individuals with divergent language needs, living in varying locations, with widely differing levels of technological prowess on the user side.

· Compare its workload against its workforce to ensure alignment, deployment, resource allocation, balance, and effectiveness.

· Process personnel actions for its staff ensuring prompt payment of earnings, awards, and bonuses.

· Track spending, pay bills, and manage budget and finances. It must be able to process reimbursements, forecast spending, and determine resource requirements and make adjustments as warranted.

TECHNOLOGY INITIATIVES UNDERWAY

The Information Technology Strategic Plan for FY 2001-05 links the overall EEOC Strategic Goals and Objectives to the IT goals. For example, Strategic Plan Goal 2.1 is to encourage and facilitate voluntary compliance with EEOC laws. There are three IT goals that correlate to this. They deal with: establishing and maintaining a cohesive enterprise IT architecture that will support the Commission's mission and achieve an efficient utilization of resources to enforce employment discrimination law; providing the general public and EEOC partners means to submit or access information on-line to improve efficiency and reduce burden; and maximizing the value and managing the risk associated with IT investments. There are phased initiatives linked to the IT goals, and a Five-Year IT Strategic Plan, in compliance with OMB requirements. The Five Year Information Management Strategic Plan Objectives and Timeframes are found in Appendix F.

A substantial change will be the migration from CDS to IMS. While CDS was focused on private-sector charge tracking, IMS has components for: 1) private sector charge counseling, intake, investigation, mediation, settlement, and litigation; 2) federal sector hearings and appeals; and 3) Commission outreach and external training activities. In addition, staff in any office will be able to see information on cases across the organization. Currently, no one in the field can see cases from other district offices. District staff can see cases throughout the district, but area and local offices can only see those in their immediate office. To determine whether an employer has cases in other districts, staff must now request this information from headquarters, which is the only EEOC entity that can view all cases.

The Baltimore District has piloted IMS since summer 2002, and the Charlotte District was trained in September, with two more districts to follow in the first quarter of 2003. Lessons from the Baltimore pilot were incorporated into the IMS Change Management Plan, and are also being used to guide changes to standard office practices. Budget permitting, EEOC plans to implement IMS throughout the agency from January through July 2003. The Commission is using a train-the-trainer concept in which staff in each discipline (enforcement, legal, hearings, outreach, mediation) district, area, and local office will be trained and train others. The training for the trainers will be organized by the district clusters (such as Midwest, South, etc.), with staff from Baltimore assisting. Because IMS is Windows-based (which CDS was not), EEOC does not need any hardware to implement it, just funds for such things as training, travel, and manuals.

IMS was developed with user input, and that continues with a "Technical Assistance Team" of advisors as OIT designs the standard reports that it will contain. CDS permitted each office to design its own reports. Even though that led to a myriad of different reports, offices liked the flexibility. As the primary user, OFP set priorities for IMS reports, and tried to incorporate the better reports that offices had developed with CDS.

FEPAs use a system that feeds into CDS and this is the second phase of IMS implementation. If funds are available and EEOC can negotiate the migration with FEPAs, this could be done in 2004. Until that time, EEOC has to keep CDS operational, so even though EEOC staff will be using IMS, the computer screen will still look like CDS so that CDS and IMS can interact. Until FEPAs can use IMS, the full range of IMS possibilities (using Oracle) is limited. However, there will be better reports, the system will be more user-friendly, and staff will be able to merge IMS information with their word processing program.

BALANCING TECHNOLOGY WITH CUSTOMER SERVICE

Technology will enable EEOC to better serve the public, but it is not sufficient to provide all the services employees and employers need. An electronically filed charge may ask the filer to provide more detail in an area, but it will not replace the judgment an EEOC investigator can exercise in a face-to-face or phone interview. The challenge for EEOC is to develop methods of electronic input that provide sufficient information to permit the Commission to begin its work, and yet do not require a potential charging party to have advanced computer knowledge or keyboarding skills.

The Panel recommends that the secure technology tools for electronic filing be designed so that customer service is user-friendly, staff routinely follow up on Internet-filed charges with phone or in-person interviews, and information is promptly provided to those whose queries or submissions do not involve employment discrimination.

Developing Electronic Charge Filing

EEOC created an e-filing Workgroup to develop electronic filing. The workgroup consists of IT staff, program staff from other headquarters offices, five district directors, and five advisory members representing the Chair's office, OGC, OLC, and ORIP. The advisory members provide input on legal and policy issues. The workgroup has developed a charter and defined the requirements for a web-based EEOC Assessment Tool and e-Questionnaire related to charge filing. The Tool and the Questionnaire will be implemented in FY 2003.

As individuals completes the on-line questionnaire, they will get general information about employment discrimination as well as information that may help them discern the difference (for example) between illegal and unfair. A situation can be unfair but not be employment discrimination, and that is the kind of issue an EEOC investigator would discuss with a potential charging party during an interview. EEOC plans for the process to help people file but also help them screen themselves out for things (such as housing discrimination) that are not in EEOC's jurisdiction.

EEOC plans to make the items mentioned and the electronic forms available in different languages, with Spanish as the first target. The Commission would like to make more forms available in other languages, but it will depend on funding and resources available.

Panel Discussion: Developing Electronic Charge Filing

The Academy Panel believes that the e-filing system is a critical infrastructure component that, combined with mobile outreach to underserved communities, will allow the agency to reach a substantially larger audience and to break away from having solely a bricks-and-mortar traditional workplace structure. Once the agency is less dependent on a traditional workplace configuration, it will be able to more easily reach and serve a variety of populations that are currently not well-served or not served at all. It is also breaks the agency's dependence on traditional office space and its attendant costs. While creating and managing a mobile workforce has costs, they are not as rigidly fixed. For example, if the population or the problems needing attention shift, EEOC can seek staff to transfer as teleworkers to a new location, or send a mobile workstation into an area on a periodic basis.

Among the other benefits of the e-filing system will be minimizing duplicate work. The current private sector complaint system requires the charging party to fill out the charging document and the EEOC staff member to enter the same information into the agency's data system. An e-filing system will mean data for those charges can be entered only once, and when EEOC staff conduct an in-person or phone interview they can directly enter the data rather than writing it and entering it later. This will allow EEOC staff more time to focus on investigating complaints of employment discrimination.

NEED FOR ENHANCED ANALYTICAL CAPABILITIES

EEOC cannot serve employers and employees well unless it has access to a wide range of data and the capacity to relate it to EEOC's own workforce skills and needs. An individual district or area office director may have a good sense for changes in the local population or industries, but the Commission needs to examine local and aggregate data to know, for example, if it is providing access to those who most need its services.

The Panel recommends that the EEOC enhance its analytical capabilities by acquiring software that will allow it to access and analyze data from its multiple systems to improve its strategic decision-making

Coping with Extensive and Diverse Information

The EEOC processes thousands of individual charges and interacts with hundreds of thousands of people and thousands of organizations each year. It collects massive amounts of charge data and processes countless charging documents, court records, hearing documents, legal documents, and mediation agreements. A number of employees, as well as external stakeholders, identified the need to be more strategic in identifying problems and focusing the proper resources on preventing and resolving these problems.

EEOC has plans to integrate its major IT systems (IMS, Fed Data, EEO1, HR, Finance, and Document Management) in 2004. There are also commercial, off-the-shelf (COTS) applications that can overlay charge data, human resources, budget, and other data sets and provide an enterprise level, multi-dimensional capacity to analyze trends, and issues and forecast future needs. These types of decision-support systems do not modify or enhance data in the various warehouses, but instead, extract data, synthesize it, and convert it to meaningful business information.

EEOC is building a data warehouse and designing report tools (using BRIO) that will integrate the data. The enterprise architecture the agency has adopted requires that data elements in smaller data systems must adhere to those in IFMS, FPPS, and IMS. Using their desktops, staff will be able to pull together data from the different systems, compare the data, and display graphics. While the infrastructure requirements are in place and work is in progress, funding limitations mean the full project cannot come to fruition until FY 2006. However, even in FY 2003, the data from IFMS and FPPS are expected to be able to be integrated so that the agency can develop compensation models and thus project the impacts of retirements, promotions, or within-grade-increases and build this information into the budget formulation process.

Panel Discussion: Coping with Extensive and Diverse Information

Current data systems hold a rich source of information for the agency to use in its strategic decision making, but they do not permit EEOC to pull together the varied types of data to better inform its decisions on current and emerging issues, or provide focus for the Commission's prevention activities as well as its charge processing and litigation activities.

To become more strategic in its information use, the agency must be able to access its data across technology systems. For example, EEOC must be able to assess it workload statistics against workforce data. It also needs to be able to analyze industry and demographic trends in terms of how they affect the agency's work and the overall field of employment discrimination. EEOC will then be more able to assess how the agency should optimize deployment of its scarce resources to combat these issues and problems.

EEOC needs a system capable of arraying its charge data against its workforce to determine the economics of its current deployment. These same analyses could generate points of emphasis for enforcement or outreach activity. Moreover, they could generate reports, tables, charts, and graphics depicting opportunities for improvement.

Examples include:

· SAS Institute has enterprise-wide tools that can overlay multiple data repositories, regardless of data format, and provide multidimensional analysis of data displayed in a variety of ways.
· COGNOS permits consolidation of an organization's various data sources to create a unified organizational view.
· PeopleSoft, a human resources information system, provides a suite of employee and manager self-service applications. Agency data can be plugged into the PeopleSoft HR components, and the system can generate reports on the workforce.

There are examples of federal organizations that have enhanced their analytical capabilities through IT. The Administrative Office of the U. S. Courts has collected judicial workload data for nearly 70 years. The data are collected by type of court (Bankruptcy, District, Appellate), by type of case (civil, criminal) and by certain types of violations. Since 1997, the agency has converted all of its data systems to electronic collection, and has developed or purchased a variety of software tools to assist in data mining and data analysis for strategic decision making. The data are used to assist courts in assessing the speed with which cases are processed, trends in decisions, and the like. The workload data analysis is linked to workforce statistics and used to help project future workload and the workforce required to support the workload. This use of data has been a key tool in helping the agency acquire the resources needed to accomplish its mission.

MANAGING TECHNOLOGY FOR OPERATIONAL NEEDS

EEOC uses litigation software only in thoses offices that have purchased it independently, so most staff continue to manually search for documents and coordinate case-related paperwork. In addition, office software platforms are not compatible with those used by most public and private sector organizations, which has created compatibility problems in handling some work. EEOC plans to purchase the Microsoft Office Suite®, but there are as yet no plans underway to purchase officewide litigation software. In addition, there are opportunities for enhanced operations and financial savings through the increased use of virtual libraries and video and web conferencing.

The Panel recommends that:

· EEOC invest in litigation management software and new primary office software platforms to better support program delivery. If funds are not available to purchase the entire primary office software, the agency should begin its investment with the presentation software to allow preparation of outreach and other presentations.

· EEOC conduct business case analyses on some longer-term possibilities for savings and more effective operations. These include: reducing the square footage for district libraries by creating a good virtual library; and using videoconferencing or web cameras for mission activities such as mediation or conciliations, and internal organization meetings.

Need to More Easily Connect with Stakeholders

EEOC staff often discussed that their office software platform is not compatible with software used by most of the public and the private sector, though there are some courts systems that use it. Though there is some transferability between the EEOC word processing programs and others, EEOC cannot exchange spreadsheet or database information, which means if a respondent wants to send, for example, hiring trend data in that format EEOC cannot open it. If EEOC wants to transmit information in its spreadsheet format, it has to convert it to a word processing format, and the recipient has to reload it into more standard spreadsheet data format.

When EEOC staff made outreach presentations, especially if they were one of a group of presenters, not having PowerPoint® was a problem. It meant they had to bring a separate laptop (if they had one), and sometimes it was not feasible to stop a presentation to change hardware. EEOC plans to migrate from its current office software to the Microsoft Office Suite® are in the conceptual stage, and it plans to do a cost benefit analysis in FY 2003 for FY 2004 requirements. Implementation is proposed as a two-year effort (FY 2004-05) with funding and licensing costs spread over three years.

Panel Discussion: Need to More Easily Connect with Stakeholders

The Academy Panel does not want to recommend that EEOC use one software package over another. However, the Commission does need to use software that enables it to communicate seamlessly with its stakeholders, and vice versa. EEOC's decision to migrate to a different system makes sense.

Need for Litigation Software

EEOC offices have developed their own databases to manage office operations. In some cases, there were no other options since, for example, there was no automated case-tracking system or litigation software. While IMS will help regional attorneys track cases in the office, this is not the same as the case management software used by the private law firms against which EEOC litigates. The software attorneys cited most often was Summation®, which brings together transcripts, documents, issues, and events related to a case. Some courts and judges now require attorneys appearing before them to use this software for exchange of court documents and depositions. Summation® (and most other litigation case management software) allows the attorney to:

· View electronic versions of transcripts
· Search depositions and annotations
· Zoom from search results to testimony to winnow through potentially relevant testimony
· Flag key testimony, add comments, attach issues/themes of the case, dates, etc.
· Generate digests of key testimony sorted by issues or dates
· Print deposition pages with key testimony underlined, to present to the arbitrator or judge
· Read, review, and annotate real-time testimony as it is keyed in by a court reporter
· Create report of marked testimony

Whether required or not, EEOC's attorneys believe that the benefits of this type of software exceeded the costs, and would save time and be more effective.

In a July 26, 2000, New York Law Journal, Litigation article entitled, "The Invaluable Database," Patricia Nieuwenhuizen, Esq., CEO and President, Fast Track Litigation Support noted that:

Faster, smarter and better approaches to litigation, especially in pre-trial preparation, can give law firms a competitive advantage and improve their bottom line while simultaneously saving clients hundreds of thousands of dollars. How? Automation…Today, even small civil cases can routinely generate more than 10,000 pages of documentary evidence, and it is not unusual for a larger case to produce over one million pages, or over 400 bankers boxes of documents.

Nieuwenhuizen provides a hypothetical situation to illustrate that it may actually be less expensive to automate rather than continue with manual systems.

Your company is involved in a lawsuit. There are 100 boxes of discovery documents containing in total 250,000 pages. This hypothetical case requires 30 searches of the documents in order to prepare for 15 to 20 depositions, a summary judgment motion and reply, and several discovery motions. 150 hours each time the paralegal searches the boxes. Thus, performing 30 separate searches of the 100 boxes, without the benefit of a database, would take 4,500 hours. The same 30 searches performed with a database would take, at most, 2.5 hours, assuming that each search would take 5 minutes to run. This is not much of a contest. But of course, in order to run database searches, the investment must be made. Assuming the paralegal's hourly rate is $75 per hour, the total cost for manual labor is $337,500. And, assuming that a database of documents would cost approximately $165,000 ($.60/page for bibliographic coding and $.25/page for in-text coding of names for 25% of the documents), the cost of not automating is more than double the cost of the database. As this example illustrates, the "cost" of a database actually may be a savings.

Using the metrics provided by Nieuwenhuizen, if EEOC litigates only 80 cases in a year consisting of the minimum 10,000 pages of documentary evidence even small civil cases can routinely generate, EEOC faces sifting through 800,000 pages annually (at least three times the volume - 4,500 - used in Nieuwenhuizen's example). Thus, by tripling the 4,500 hours in the example, the search time could total 13,500 hours. Generally, EEOC paralegals are Grade 11 with an average salary of approximately $50,000 (or roughly $24 per hour). This sample of search time shows that EEOC could be spending as much as $324,000 annually on performing document searches that could be automated for a cost reduction.

Using similar metrics, EEOC could perform a more accurate cost-benefit analysis specific to its litigation programs and processes and identify a dollar value that is currently being consumed by manual searches and retrievals of records and documents.

Panel Discussion: Need for Litigation Software

Utilizing litigation software eliminates substantial clerical and research time spent in document analysis and cross-referencing litigation party information. In addition, not having the current state-of-the art litigation tools their opponents use can put EEOC at a disadvantage during a trial. Given that EEOC's attorneys collaborate on cases across districts, it might want to use an online litigation support and case management program, or it could administer its own web server infrastructure. Short of this, case management software will at least permit better shared data.

Supporting Decentralized Locations

All of EEOC's locations are supported through OIT. When an organization has a lot of locations, if there is vulnerability on a router, they have to patch all routes (51 for EEOC). If EEOC implements a major new application, OIT staff travel to 51 locations. Connections with field offices are slow because bandwidth is expensive, and EEOC said they cannot upgrade some without upgrading all offices. Some offices do all access with 64K; for most organizations the minimum standard is 128K. The new Document Management System EEOC will implement is graphics-heavy, the offices now use FPPS and IFMS, and the latter is planning to add a procurement module. There is thus consistent activity on these servers, which operate only marginally faster than 56K.

Field IT staff report to the district directors, who select them. During Academy staff interviews, there were several reports of varied skill levels among field computer specialists and assistants. While less common among other decentralized organizations today, it was not uncommon in the past because individuals moved to computer positions because they were interested in the work even though they may not have had formal training. Since early 2001, OIT staff have participated in interviews for field computer specialists, to help bring more consistency to skill levels among staff. They noted this is essential because there is more demand on field IT staff now. They used to do only CDS and PC support, but now have a file server, email systems, LAN administration, and more kinds of software. They have to know every new system and support it. OIT said they support field staff on a regular basis.

Panel Discussion: Supporting Decentralized Locations

If EEOC reduces the number of its office locations, there will obviously be fewer locations requiring IT support. However, IT staff in the field offices will have to support a large number of teleworkers and probably provide assistance to EEOC's mobile units. It will be essential to have current technology in field locations and staff who are well-trained in using it.

IT positions are hard to fill, given the higher salaries available in the private sector. Internal staff may develop proficiency and want to migrate to one of these positions. However, if EEOC does promote staff from, for example, clerical positions to computer assistant positions, it needs to ensure that those staff get training before they assume the new duties, and they should be expected to perform to the same level as external hires.

Accessing Shared Information Through Libraries and the Intranet

Several individuals questioned why EEOC needed to use so much space for library services, especially in the field, when so much research is now conducted on-line and EEOC has purchased Lexis/Nexis and Westlaw for legal research.

Each district office has library space, although the cost of maintaining 24 collections limits what they contain. Staff in some federal buildings have access to other agencies' libraries. With rent costs as high as $75 per square foot, an 8'x10' library can cost $72,000 annually in space costs alone.

Online libraries contain case information, precedent setting decisions, rulings, program developments, statutory changes, implementation and enforcement policy. Most universities ensure that their graduates know how to use virtual libraries for research, so that some portion of the training costs for using these systems need not be spent.

EEOC staff also said that they would like shared network drives or space on the agency intranet (In-Site) on which to post such things as administrative judges' rulings, court decisions, policy documents, case management strategies, or best practices. A few field staff said that the lack of easy access to what other offices have done means that charging parties can get different information from EEOC staff in different locations.

Panel Discussion: Accessing Shared Information Through Libraries and the Intranet

The Panel and staff did limited work in this area, but believes EEOC would benefit from further study of the savings potential. The Commission can look to law firms, the Department of Justice and the Administrative Office of the U.S Courts for advice on the choices they have made. All three sources have invested substantial resources in analyzing existing alternatives.

As an agency that performs the same work in varied locations, it is essential that EEOC's staff be able to share best practices. While that can be done via paper, that is not efficient, especially given the volume of work and diverse industries and companies with which EEOC deals. The Commission developed its Web capabilities later than some other agencies, but its staff are well aware of how the Web can be used to facilitate their work. The Panel realizes IT resources are limited, and there are many demands. To the extent possible, the Commission should develop its intranet capabilities so that staff can take full advantage of one anothers' experiences.

Using Videoconferencing and Web Cameras as an Alternative to Travel

In interview and survey responses, there were several comments about the benefits of developing videoconferencing capabilities. Some saw potential use for mission-critical work, such as mediations or hearings, while others thought it could be used for training. EEOC had planned to pilot videoconferencing in 2003 and implement it in 2004, but budget constraints may prevent this. The Commission did conduct some technical testing, but did not include it in FY 2003 plans. They would like to reinitiate this project when funding permits.

The initial investment for equipment, satellite dishes, transmission equipment and the like is substantial. However, they can lead to savings in direct travel costs and reduced time for travel. For example, Table 4-1 shows how $2,103 could easily be consumed on a three-day, moderately priced business trip for a single EEOC employee to settle a single charge. While the employee's compensation costs would be expended regardless of whether the employee traveled, videoconference or web camera capabilities could mean one day of salaried time instead of three days devoted to the settlement.

Many federal agencies--the Postal Service, HUD, federal judiciary to name only a few--have made the investment in this equipment. Some AJs already have arrangements with other agencies to use their videoconferencing facilities and equipment.

Table 4-1
Estimate Cost of a Session When the Employee Has to Travel

For a text description of Table 4-1, please click here

A less expensive alternative can be web cameras, through which personal computers essentially become TV screens. This is used, for example, in some court systems so that a prisoner does not have to physically visit a courtroom for arraignments and other fairly simple proceedings. This technology may be effective for internal meetings or small-group sessions rather than larger gatherings. The Defense Finance and Accounting Agency uses web cameras to conduct weekly staff meetings with managers in offices across the country. It also uses the web cameras to share best practices. For example, its human resources executives share successful recruitment sources and strategies on a monthly basis and its accountants use this system to discuss and resolve financial issues.

SUPPORTING A MORE MOBILE WORKFORCE

A key element in better serving the American public and reducing EEOC's costs of doing so is to create an organization in which EEOC staff can go to employers and employees who need service rather than having them come to the Commission. While technology improvements such as electronic charge filing will provide better access for many, there are millions of people who do not use or have access to the Internet. There are likely many who do not know about how EEOC can assist them.

The Academy Panel recommends that EEOC:

· Develop the secure technology tools to support teleworkers and other staff who travel to the customers. This would include secure remote access to major EEOC systems, appropriate equipment, and methods to keep the workforce current on EEOC software and data systems.

· Protect data at the sensitive-but-unclassified level by such things as Protective Key Infrastructure for mobile staff. This includes adequate firewalls, anti-virus protection for clients and servers, intrusion detection systems, one-time password authentication ID systems, and encryption software for laptops.

Among the most critical components for a successful mobile workforce program are:

· A trusting relationship between the supervisor and the employee
· A well-thought-out written agreement
· Recruitment, selection, development, and retention of employees who understand, desire, and possess the self-discipline to work in a mobile, independent working environment
· A predetermined and agreed-upon set of performance standards
· Secure information technology equipment and infrastructure at the sensitive but unclassified level

How Organizations Become More Mobile

In the private sector, a number of firms have assigned laptops to some staff rather than PCs. This allows staff to connect to the network when in the office and access it remotely when at home or traveling. For staff who generally work out of the office, an organization will have a certain number of offices or cubicles that are not assigned to anyone specific, and can be used by anyone who is in the office for a day.

One EEOC district office has already created a mobile workstation that permits staff to create and print witness affidavits for immediate signature. It is also used for mediation. As soon a settlement is agreed to, terms are entered into the settlement document on a laptop, the information is then shared, edited, finalized, printed, and signed. This office envisions eventually marrying this approach with wireless networking technology to permit exchange of documents between parties, or to allow retrieval of missing or needed documents via email or fax from remote offices.

According to the Boston Consulting Group, "Organizations that adopt mobile solutions, and thus become "untethered enterprises," will reap significant economic benefit. Even organizations that have embraced relatively simple wireless tools for sales force automation or customer relationship management have already seen productivity gains ranging from 10 to 50 percent."(19)

The Bureau of the Census can provide an example for managing a large workforce that rarely comes to a regional office. All of the generally part-time 5,000 staff who conduct the Bureau's ongoing surveys(20) use laptops and relay the data to the Bureau each evening. They work from home with regular access to IT support, which includes remote diagnostics of software or hardware problems.

Other mobile workforce examples include United States Probation Officers and local police officers. Probation Officers are provided a cell phone, a laptop, a fax and a data line if needed. These individuals, who provide probation services in less-populated territories, are able to work directly from a home office or car with periodic visits to the U.S. District Court with which they are affiliated. Police offices in many jurisdictions have computers, faxes, cell phone and related equipment in their cars, thus providing access to needed databases.

OPM and the General Services Administration provide the general policy guidance and oversight for federal telecommuting and mobile workforces. They provide a wide variety of best practices, cost information and other relevant information. The website www.telework.gov is an excellent source of information about successful programs and practices. Among the more innovative programs are the IRS, the patent examiners at the U. S. Patent and Trade Office, and the Coast Guard. All three are discussed in detail on the telework website.

Panel Discussion: How Organizations Become More Mobile

It is not likely that EEOC's staff will remain desk-bound. Its workforce of the future must be mobile, whether they work out of an EEOC office, mobile unit, or a home office. Even those staff who do work in offices will need laptops so they can interview charging parties, witnesses, and respondents in federal and private sector cases. Litigating attorneys need to be able to download data to alter a presentation, and mediators may need information on a similar kind of case if they are at an impasse during a session.

EEOC's IT plan discusses upgrading staff PCs in 2003-05. That decision may need to be modified to include substituting laptops for PCs in many instances. However, it is not just a question of purchasing hardware and security resources. Program staff will routinely need technical support while they are in the field or working from home, and EEOC will need to develop ways to train staff to stay current on its technology and information systems. Such major infrastructure development is expensive.

CONSIDERING EEOC'S OPTIONS FOR TELEWORK

The Academy Panel supports the OIG recommendation that EEOC institute pilot telework programs.

EEOC has 914 employees who are now on alternate work schedules, and some of these telework at least one day per week. Recognizing the value of telework, the Chair asked the EEOC's Inspector General (IG) to conduct an analysis of the potential costs and benefits of telework for the agency. OIG staff reviewed potential costs and benefits of frequent telework at four EEOC field offices. The primary objective was to determine if EEOC could save on infrastructure costs and achieve other benefits through extensive use of telework, while sustaining or improving mission performance. An OIG report presented the results of the work.(21)

The OIG found that telework would require start-up costs in the first two years, but would begin to show net savings by the third year, for each of the four offices it studied. The cost model in Table 4-2 shows net savings of about $1.3 million in the first five years.(22)

Table 4-2
OIG-Projected Cumulative Savings from Telework
(Negative Numbers in Parentheses)

For a text description of Table 4-2, please click here

Source: Clifton Gunderson LLP, EEOC Telework Cost Model, August 2002.

The OIG calculated cost savings using the Optimum Model, whereby 85 percent of those employees well-suited for telework (investigators, AJs, trial attorneys, mediators) are required to telework two or more days per week, allowing more efficient use of central office space through office sharing or similar arrangements. Cost savings under the Survey Model are about one-half of those in the Optimum Model. The Survey Model uses the number of interested teleworkers as self-identified in the survey. Both models include office sharing that results in reduced space needs, thereby lowering costs for real estate and producing savings that are substantially higher than the costs to set up and maintain a frequent telework program. Cost savings for the offices in commercial space depend on implementing frequent telework when a lease expires (the Washington Field Office and Miami District Office leases expire in April 2004).

Key questions addressing the objective included:

· What types of staff are suitable for frequent telework?
· How do lease conditions affect the cost-effectiveness of frequent telework?
· What equipment, training, and other items do staff need to be productive frequent teleworkers?
· What are the impressions of managers and staff on frequent telework?

The OIG review found:

· AJs, investigators, mediators, and trial attorneys are well-suited for frequent telework.
· Most managers, supervisors, and staff see substantial benefits for frequent telework, including providing opportunities for focused, concentrated thought, better work-life balance, monetary benefits, and reduced stress.
· Many staff are concerned whether some individual staff, and the office as a whole, can meet the needs of customers and stakeholders in a frequent telework environment.
· Frequent teleworkers need these items to be effective--computer with standard EEOC software, capability for good quality copying, faxing, and printing, Internet service, EEOC email access, strong phone service-including long distance calling, telework training, and additional storage space.
· For the two offices in commercial spaces (WFO and Miami), timing for implementing telework is critical for cost savings. Cost analysis and expert opinion show that commercial space is prohibitively expensive to vacate before the lease expires.
· Savings are significantly higher under the Optimal Model than under the Survey Model. After five years, cumulative savings for the Optimal Model are $1.3 million, which is $600,000 greater than the Survey Model savings-$0.7 million.
· Annual savings are strongly negative in the first year, due to start up costs. In the second through fifth years, savings are large and steady.
· Because the lease for the Headquarters building expires in 2008, and simply vacating commercial space before lease expiration is not cost effective, it would be challenging for EEOC to achieve real estate savings at its Headquarters building by simply vacating.

OIG Conclusions

1. Major cost savings can be achieved at each of the four offices studied, beginning in the second year of frequent telework for one office, with major cumulative savings begin in the third year for all four offices.
2. Federal office space offers greater flexibility in when to implement frequent telework to achieve cost savings.
3. Savings are maximized through use of the Optimum Model.
4. Due to the up-front costs of frequent telework, and the financial advantages to beginning frequent telework near lease expiration, a nationwide pilot would not be prudent.
5. If savings estimated in the cost model could be applied to all EEOC district offices, savings would be substantial, and average about 10% of real estate costs for those offices, over a five-year period.
6. Options for real estate savings through frequent telework may be possible for the Headquarters Building (e.g., subleasing parts of the building, bringing the WFO into the Headquarters building, or buying out of the lease).

Based on the conclusions, the OIG offered two recommendations.

1. EEOC should consider implementing a pilot frequent telework initiative to achieve cost savings for one or more of the following offices the OIG visited and identified as having the potential for substantial cost savings:

- Dallas District Office
- Los Angeles District Office
- Miami District Office
- Washington Field Office

2. EEOC should join one or more telework organizations, such as the Mid Atlantic Telework Association and Council and International Atlantic Telework Association and Council. Benefits include access to telework experts and opportunities to network with other federal agencies engaged in telework efforts.

The Academy Panel found the EEOC OIG telework study to be thorough and well presented.

ADAPTING THE ORGANIZATION'S CULTURE TO TECHNOLOGY

There is a difference between using a computer well enough to send email or compose short memos and fully understanding how technology can enhance how the work gets done. There were offices the Academy staff visited where technology was the primary tool for monitoring activity and using the information to change work methods, and there were others where this was clearly not the case.

EEOC has made a strong commitment to improve services to the public and give its staff better technology tools. Overall, the technology culture needs to be broadened so that all staff, especially those in leadership positions, understand the importance of technology and how it can enhance EEOC's ability to provide a greater presence in all communities it serves.

To ensure that leaders can operate effectively in a technology environment, the Academy Panel recommends that EEOC make it a condition of advancing to a senior management position that an individual understand the value of technology in accomplishing EEOC's mission and demonstrate that they can lead others in applying this value.

This concept needs to be built into EEOC's recruitment and training programs, performance appraisal system, and rewards program.

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18. Average compensation costs for an EEOC employee is $91,651 annually. This includes $62,080 for salary and 30% for benefits. A 2,087-hour work year results in an average daily salary of $351.(return to text)
19. Manget, Joe; Dean, David; Gilbert, Marc, "Opportunity for Action: The Untethered Enterprise," Boston Consulting Group, May 15, 2002.(return to text)
20. The Bureau is best-known for the decennial census, but it also conducts dozens of surveys, usually for federal agencies such as the Bureau of Labor Statistics and Department of Health and Human Services, on an ongoing basis. The census-takers who come to the door once every ten years have always collected data via paper, though the data are read via computer. However, all but one of the ongoing surveys are administered by a person who records the data directly into a laptop.(return to text)
21. Office of Inspector General, Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. Assessment of Reducing Infrastructure Costs through Increased Use of Telework. Washington, DC. 2002.(return to text)
22. The OIG chose to assess four field offices showing strong potential cost savings characteristics such as: an existing telework program, many staff, high rent costs, and difficult commuting environment.(return to text)

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