---
kind: "section"
citation: "5 U.S.C. § 6504"
title: "5"
title_heading: "Government Organization and Employees"
number: "6504"
heading: "Policy and support"
release: "119-102"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/5/6504"
units:
  - "Part III — Employees"
  - "Subpart E — Attendance and Leave"
  - "Chapter 65 — Telework"
---

# §6504. Policy and support

- (a) **Agency Consultation With the Office of Personnel Management.—** Each [executive agency](/usc/5/6501.md?p=2) shall consult with the Office of Personnel Management in developing [telework](/usc/5/6501.md?p=3) policies.
- (b) **Guidance and Consultation.—** The Office of Personnel Management shall—
  - (1) provide policy and policy guidance for [telework](/usc/5/6501.md?p=3) in the areas of pay and leave, [agency](/usc/5/500.md?p=a-1) closure, performance management, official worksite, recruitment and retention, and accommodations for [employees](/usc/5/6501.md?p=1) with disabilities;
  - (2) assist each [agency](/usc/5/500.md?p=a-1) in establishing appropriate qualitative and quantitative measures and [teleworking](/usc/5/6501.md?p=3) goals; and
  - (3) consult with—
    - (A) the Federal Emergency Management [Agency](/usc/5/500.md?p=a-1) on policy and policy guidance for [telework](/usc/5/6501.md?p=3) in the areas of continuation of operations and long-term emergencies;
    - (B) the General [Services](/usc/5/8331.md?p=12) Administration on policy and policy guidance for [telework](/usc/5/6501.md?p=3) in the areas of [telework](/usc/5/6501.md?p=3) centers, travel, technology, equipment, and dependent care; and
    - (C) the National Archives and Records Administration on policy and policy guidance for [telework](/usc/5/6501.md?p=3) in the areas of efficient and effective records management and the preservation of records, including Presidential and Vice-Presidential records.
- (c) **Security Guidelines.—**
  - (1) **In general.—** The Director of the Office of Management and Budget, in coordination with the Department of Homeland Security and the National Institute of Standards and Technology, shall issue guidelines not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this chapter to ensure the adequacy of information and security protections for information and information systems used while [teleworking](/usc/5/6501.md?p=3).
  - (2) **Contents.—** Guidelines issued under this subsection shall, at a minimum, include requirements necessary to—
    - (A) control access to [agency](/usc/5/500.md?p=a-1) information and information systems;
    - (B) protect [agency](/usc/5/500.md?p=a-1) information (including personally identifiable information) and information systems;
    - (C) limit the introduction of vulnerabilities;
    - (D) protect information systems not under the control of the [agency](/usc/5/500.md?p=a-1) that are used for [teleworking](/usc/5/6501.md?p=3);
    - (E) safeguard wireless and other telecommunications capabilities that are used for [teleworking](/usc/5/6501.md?p=3); and
    - (F) prevent inappropriate use of official time or resources that violates subpart G of the Standards of Ethical Conduct for [Employees](/usc/5/6501.md?p=1) of the [Executive Branch](/usc/5/13101.md?p=4) by viewing, downloading, or exchanging pornography, including child pornography.
- (d) **Continuity of Operations Plans.—**
  - (1) **Incorporation into continuity of operations plans.—** Each [executive agency](/usc/5/6501.md?p=2) shall incorporate [telework](/usc/5/6501.md?p=3) into the continuity of operations plan of that [agency](/usc/5/500.md?p=a-1).
  - (2) **Continuity of operations plans supersede telework policy.—** During any period that an [executive agency](/usc/5/6501.md?p=2) is operating under a continuity of operations plan, that plan shall supersede any [telework](/usc/5/6501.md?p=3) policy.
- (e) **Telework Website.—** The Office of Personnel Management shall—
  - (1) maintain a central [telework](/usc/5/6501.md?p=3) website; and
  - (2) include on that website related—
    - (A) [telework](/usc/5/6501.md?p=3) links;
    - (B) announcements;
    - (C) guidance developed by the Office of Personnel Management; and
    - (D) guidance submitted by the Federal Emergency Management [Agency](/usc/5/500.md?p=a-1), and the General [Services](/usc/5/8331.md?p=12) Administration to the Office of Personnel Management not later than 10 business days after the date of submission.
- (f) **Policy Guidance on Purchasing Computer Systems.—** Not later than 120 days after the date of the enactment of this chapter, the Director of the Office of Management and Budget shall issue policy guidance requiring each [executive agency](/usc/5/6501.md?p=2) when purchasing computer systems, to purchase computer systems that enable and support [telework](/usc/5/6501.md?p=3), unless the head of the [agency](/usc/5/500.md?p=a-1) determines that there is a mission-specific reason not to do so.

## Source credit

(Added Pub. L. 111–292, § 2(a), Dec. 9, 2010, 124 Stat. 3167.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### References in Text

The date of enactment of this chapter, referred to in subsecs. (c)(1) and (f), is the date of enactment of Pub. L. 111–292, which was approved Dec. 9, 2010.