The Commonwealth of Virginia: Running with Telework

As the Washington, DC metro area traffic scene creeps slowly towards the nation’s worst, Virginia state government has taken it upon themselves to further the cause of telework and remote working in order to lesson the strain on the area’s roadways and commuters. The new Office of Telework Promotion and Broadband Assistance is aimed at helping facilitate programs and plan to enhance remote working options throughout the state.

The establishment of this office should be a big step towards the proliferation of statewide teleworking plans – putting Virginia at the forefront of states pushing for better remote working acceptance. The recent telework endeavors have even netted Governor Tim Kaine an award from the Telework Coalition for his promotion of remote working.

Special applause to Gov. Kaine’s appointment of Karen Jackson as the director of the new initiative. She brings a wealth of experience as well as understanding of the issue to her new position, and we anticipate that, under her leadership, Virginia will be a role model throughout the region and country.

Is Virginia where they need to be as far as teleworking is concerned? No, not yet…but the state is “where they should be.” Virginia is moving along the right track, and the creation of the Office of Telework Promotion is a huge leap in the right direction. As long as Virginia government stays away from the “dashboard doggie” model, teleworking across the Commonwealth will continue to grow.

Rita Mace Walston, General Manager, The Telework Consortium