Dear Chairman Fowler and members of the subcommittee, My name is Kendra Seymour. I am writing to encourage you to support SB 786, a bill focused on protecting citizens of the Commonwealth from the dangers of mold. I have called Virginia my home for almost 20 years. In that time, I have owned two homes, one built in 1978 and the other home we built in 2018. Whether you live in an older home or brand new build, all homes will have water damage at some point. This water damage doesn’t have to be a sudden burst pipe or flood to cause financial and physical health problems. In fact, it is the slow pin hole leak, the improperly flashed window, inadequate drainage, uncontrolled humidity, etc., that can lead to the sneaky and serious health threat that is mold and other microbial growth. As a homeowner, I relied on the contractors and remediation professionals I hired to protect my home and the health of my family. Unfortunately, without proper training and guidance, the various professionals we hired over the course of my time as a homeowner provided insufficient, outdated, and in some cases unsafe advice that jeopardized the health of my family, particularly that of my young children. Living in our first home with hidden mold and water damage led to a cascade of medical problems that went improperly diagnosed for years. They suffered from eczema, allergies, headaches, stomachs aches, reflux, growth delays, and more. Our medicals bills mounted and our bank account drained having to remediate areas we thought we already addressed safely and correctly. My children’s health dramatically improved once we were able to get to the root cause and correctly and safely remove the hidden mold and water damage. My children paid the price due to the lack of proper education and oversight of the allergenic, toxigenic, and pathogenic substance that is mold and its chemical byproducts. The average person spends 90% of their time indoors breathing in air that is potentially bad for their health. The EPA estimates that nearly 50% of buildings have an ongoing water leak. Further, the EPA states that concentrations of some indoor air pollutants indoors is 4-5 times higher and in some cases up to 100 times higher than outdoor pollutants. Many of these pollutants come from mold, mold fragments, mycotoxins, and bacteria that thrive in our homes when moisture is present. In Virginia, those that inspect and remediate asbestos and lead-based paint are required to adhere to licensure requirements developed by the Virginia Board of Asbestos, Lead, and Home Inspectors. There is no such requirement for those assessing and remediating mold. This bill simply adds “Mold” to that Board and gives the Board discretion as to how they want to implement such licenses. Please protect the citizens of Virginia by ensuring that those performing mold-related work in their homes have the education and knowledge to perform the job properly. Please take this important step to better protecting the health of families in Virginia and the health of the men and women who work to inspect, test, and remediate our homes.

Comments Document

Proponent testimony for SB 786 attached.

My internet was not working very well yesterday in the windy and cloudy conditions. So, I am writing this on Friday morning. I am sure you have already met on SB934 pertaining to teleworking for state workers. I am a state worker that lives 42 miles from my in person work location. Teleworking has not affected my ability to properly perform my job functions, meet project goals, hold meetings and interact with my co-workers. However, it has affected my wallet. My fuel usage for daily commutes has reduced and the wear and tear on my vehicle is not so bad. Also, I am not paying tolls everyday to get to work and return home. I am able to be more productive on a work day. I am in a more comfortable environment. I feel that each area can be evaluated and determine a reasonable teleworking schedule for the employee and the agency. This would keep existing employees and attract new employees. It is very noticeable that every state agency needs new younger employees to join them as the more seasoned employees are entering the end phases of their employment. Please consider letting us do MORE teleworking and LESS traveling into the office. The positives do far outweigh the negatives.

I Work for the state for 20 yrs out of this yrs. 12 are telework , I was working home base prior to Covid 19.. & I would like to continued have the home base telework , because office in Norfolk for the tax dept was closed many year ago

I am fortunate enough to be able to telework 2 days a week and support this bill. I'm a primary care support person (responsible for her care on nights and weekends) for my niece, who is on an ID waiver. Meetings with her case manager are required quarterly, and sometimes more frequently if necessary. These are usually held in the home. Scheduling the meetings on days I telework increases my productivity for my agency since I don't have to request extra time to get back and forth. It reduces my stress levels since I don't have to worry about traffic incidents holding me up in getting to these meetings or coming back to the office, again making me more productive. I can work right up until the meeting starts and start back as soon as the meeting is over. There are so many stress factors when caring for an adult with an intellectual disability while working full time. Anything that alleviates even a small amount of that is something that is so welcoming. I feel like this opportunity should be an option for as many people as possible. There are so many similar scenarios. I see it as a win-win situation; the agencies have an employee who is more productive, and the employee isn't enduring unnecessary stress. Thank you for allowing me this opportunity to present my views.

As a state employee (VDOT) for 26 years, my job duties has changed through the years. Before COVID, things were already changing to match up with the current times - technology and the way we do business. My job requirements/duties no longer requires any face to face with co-workers or the outside public to perform my job. During COVID while working @ 100% teleworking/remotely for almost 3 years - I was more productive, less errors, meeting deadlines and more. My stress level, blood pressure- my over all health was improving!! Less interruption from other office foot traffic. Even during the winter season when it snowed, I was still able to perform my job duties @ 100% teleworking/remotely- I do not have to sit in an office to perform my duties. Our policy and procedures are already in place so there is no getting together to come up with better ways of doing things - it's already set in place, we just following policy. Can't just look at someone's working title to see who is eligible because there are some positions that have the same title but the job duties are different. My position is called two different ways: a fiscal tech or administrative office specialist III. Agencies heads need to look at the job duties, job performance. To keep eligible VDOT employees who have years of experience or knowledge , please support and pass this bill SB934. Thank you for your time and consideration

I am writing in favor of SB934. Commuting costs workers. We spend our money on car payments and maintenance, filling tanks, and on parking spaces. We spend all this money so that we have the opportunity to hopefully make money. We take on the risks of navigating the increasingly dangerous roads to perform labor that could often be done at home. We lose the fabric of our lives, time, to an unnecessary commute.

I have been a Virginia State Employee for almost 15 years. I live in Dinwiddie County and have worked at my current agency since 2012. I am in full support of SB934. More flexible telework policy provides many benefits to the State, that we saw firsthand beginning in the spring of 2020 through spring of 2022. There is ample research that has been conducted to show the many benefits this provides, many of which provide a financial benefit to the State. 1. Recruitment • It is no secret that the State is not able to match private sector pay for the majority of positions. Research shows that job seekers would take a pay cut for the ability to have more flexible telework options. My agency saw this prove to be true, as we were able to successfully recruit high level talent specifically due to the flexible, primarily telework policy we operated under during the Covid-19 Pandemic. Job seekers are willing to take up to a 10% decrease in salary for more flexible telework options. 2. Retention • Turnover decreases for companies that allow more flexible teleworking as the employees are better able to balance their work life and home life. This improves the workforces overall mental health are they are more likely stay loyal employees to the State. • Research shows that one the best benefits a company can offer their workforce is flexible teleworking. In my division, we have experienced roughly 25% of our staff leave due to the July 2022 telework policy change. If you take the average cost of $4,000 to recruit, hire, and train a new employee, that was over $20,000 for only one division in one Agency that walked out the doors since July 2022. Again, in their exit interviews they specifically stated it was due to the telework policy changing. 3. Productivity • Personally, my work productivity and that of my team drastically increased. Instead of the need to take a day off of work for a doctor appointment, we could instead take an hour or two off, then jump back online easily. Research shows that flexible, primarily teleworking employees work almost 17 additional days a year than in-office employees. While remote working does come with its own distractions, on average it is 10 minutes less per day than an in-office employee experiences. It also shifts managers and leadership to focus on a result-oriented approach, which is what matters at the end of the day. 4. Engagement • Employee engagement is created by respecting and empowering your workforce, which is best accomplished with flexible teleworking. This shows your workforce that you trust they will get the job done. It also helps to retain institutional knowledge as engaged staff are more likely to stay with their employer. 5. Diversity • Diversity in a workforce is important in order to have better performing teams for many reason. By allowing a more flexible teleworking approach, you are no longer limiting yourself to single location or particular radius from the office. You are able to have a more diverse pool of candidates and likely to end up with a truly the best candidate possible for the position and the team. I know COVID-19 forced the State to make a massive shift how things have been done for many years. In order for the State to continue moving forward, a more flexible telework policy needs to be embraced and enforced. There are far too many benefits to both the State and the State’s workforce to ignore. Thank you for your time and consideration.

I have been a Virginia State Employee for almost 15 years. I live in Dinwiddie County and have worked at my current agency since 2012. I am in full support of SB934. More flexible telework policy provides many benefits to the State, that we saw firsthand beginning in the spring of 2020 through spring of 2022. There is ample research that has been conducted to show the many benefits this provides, many of which provide a financial benefit to the State. 1. Recruitment • It is no secret that the State is not able to match private sector pay for the majority of positions. Research shows that job seekers would take a pay cut for the ability to have more flexible telework options. My agency saw this prove to be true, as we were able to successfully recruit high level talent specifically due to the flexible, primarily telework policy we operated under during the Covid-19 Pandemic. Job seekers are willing to take up to a 10% decrease in salary for more flexible telework options. 2. Retention • Turnover decreases for companies that allow more flexible teleworking as the employees are better able to balance their work life and home life. This improves the workforces overall mental health are they are more likely stay loyal employees to the State. • Research shows that one the best benefits a company can offer their workforce is flexible teleworking. In my division, we have experienced roughly 25% of our staff leave due to the July 2022 telework policy change. If you take the average cost of $4,000 to recruit, hire, and train a new employee, that was over $20,000 for only one division in one Agency that walked out the doors since July 2022. Again, in their exit interviews they specifically stated it was due to the telework policy changing. 3. Productivity • Personally, my work productivity and that of my team drastically increased. Instead of the need to take a day off of work for a doctor appointment, we could instead take an hour or two off, then jump back online easily. Research shows that flexible, primarily teleworking employees work almost 17 additional days a year than in-office employees. While remote working does come with its own distractions, on average it is 10 minutes less per day than an in-office employee experiences. It also shifts managers and leadership to focus on a result-oriented approach, which is what matters at the end of the day. 4. Engagement • Employee engagement is created by respecting and empowering your workforce, which is best accomplished with flexible teleworking. This shows your workforce that you trust they will get the job done. It also helps to retain institutional knowledge as engaged staff are more likely to stay with their employer. 5. Diversity • Diversity in a workforce is important in order to have better performing teams for many reason. By allowing a more flexible teleworking approach, you are no longer limiting yourself to single location or particular radius from the office. You are able to have a more diverse pool of candidates and likely to end up with a truly the best candidate possible for the position and the team. I know COVID-19 forced the State to make a massive shift how things have been done for many years. In order for the State to continue moving forward, a more flexible telework policy needs to be embraced and enforced. There are far too many benefits to both the State and the State’s workforce to ignore. Thank you for your time and consideration.

Please support SB 934 in increasing the state employees' teleworking opportunities. I point you towards three aspects that, if looked at from the outside of an R vs. D lens, you will see why this is important. 1) The number of talented employees that have left state service since the governor's teleworking policy was implemented. 2) The major recruitment issue for the next generation of talented employees is due to the Virginia government's backward-looking view on how to do business, thinking we have to have big buildings (with most in Richmond), with lots of offices and cubicles working strict traditional schedules. (Something that many of America's leading companies are moving away from - especially with administrative/ fiscal/ IT/ and procurement support roles) 3) The absolute lack of diversity in upper management and administration in all agencies (yes, geographic diversity is a real diversity issue, as almost ALL upper-management and administrative positions are currently required to reside in or around the Richmond metro area due to the governor's teleworking policy). Just take a moment and look at how many job postings are currently advertised that require one to live around the Richmond metro area solely because in-office days are required.) Take me for example; I've been a state employee for 20+ years, I've used the education benefit to earn my MBA, and I have worked my way up the ranks of my agency from an entry-level position to an upper-middle management position. However, I have reached the ceiling of my career as a state employee due to my location of living in Lynchburg and not wanting to move my family to Richmond for future promotions. If we had a much more forward-looking teleworking policy where positions traditionally geographically restricted to Richmond are opened to otherwise perfectly qualified candidates all across this great Commonwealth, employees like myself wouldn't be geographically career locked. Thank you again for supporting SB 934 and future legislation that opens teleworking opportunities for state employees.

It would be able to get more done without the travel time, saving on gas & lunch so the money and state govt being more aligned with the private sector.

Dear Mr. Chair and members of the committee, My name is Genna Langston, a city of Chesapeake resident. I'm writing this testimony in support of Bill SB934 for reasons that may be shared with employees across the Commonwealth. I take pride as an employee with the Division of Child Support Enforcement, Newport News field office. I am ever grateful for the current policy and future endeavors of teleworking. As a mother of forthcoming adult citizens, there's been an increase in my ability to provide financial, nurturing and guiding support to my family by minimizing time and resources outside of the household. In lieu of a debilitating right knee ACL procedure, I've been able to maintain my employment without distress. The flexibility of teleworking has immensely impacted my morale, social responsibility and love for what the Commonwealth employer offers. Thank you for your time and consideration. Best, Genna Langston

Honorable Chair and Honorable Members of the Committee, I appreciate you willingness to consider this bill and hope you will support the bill. I wish the bill provided more certainty for an employee's ability to consider teleworking a defined benefit that could only be revoked based on document performance issues. The majority of my meetings (more than 95%) and interactions are performed virtually. I am working with consulting firms in Richmond, Virginia Beach, Northern Virginia Area, and Roanoke. In the past (pre-COVID), we would have held in-person meeting and our taxes paying for travel time, mileage, overnight stay (when applicable), and food (when applicable). These meetings would typically occur at major milestone. Since the meetings were less frequent, there would often be missed opportunities to improve on the design as it was being developed. In the current era, we meet more frequently and have more efficient meetings because of the better use of technology. The designs are developed as team with the consultant and agency working more closely together as opposed to waiting until major milestones to provide feedback. With this said, there is minimal benefit for me to drive 45 minutes to my office and sit in front of computer when I can and do perform the same function sitting at my house. A commitment to teleworking also allows areas with less qualified candidates to recruit potential employees from other areas and backgrounds that would not be willing to relocate full-time, but would be willing to work remotely with periodic visits to the "main" office. Thank you for taking time to consider my thoughts and for considering this bill. Best regards.

Mr. Chair and members of the committee, thank you very much for your time and consideration. I am reaching out today in support of SB934 and the proposed increase to the Commonwealth’s telework goal. I am an employee who has had the opportunity to work both remotely and in the office over the course of the pandemic. I have had a strong preference for teleworking and was disappointed when teleworking measures were significantly restricted at the state level. The office work model is simply outdated - we have the technology and the infrastructure to make telework the standard for those who are not in a role requiring face to face contact. My position and many others are fully capable of transitioning 100% to telework without interruptions in service - as the last 3 years of the pandemic have clearly demonstrated. Increasing the telework goal could significantly reduce the burden on state agencies to house all of their staff and contractors on-site, particularly where office space and parking are limited. Offering telecommuting is a significant draw for employees. In fact, many sought employment elsewhere when current teleworking restrictions were implemented. Remote work options also allow agencies to pull top talent from a broader geographical range that is not limited by commuting distance. There is potential cost-saving as well if physical office sites are reduced or eliminated. I also feel that telework results in a happier workforce. I know that I personally am much happier and more productive when I telework. I am available much earlier than I would be on days that I am required to commute to the office, and have often resolved matters before I would normally be available. I am able to focus on my work without the usual interruptions and distractions from coworkers. Working from home allows me to better maintain a work-life balance by cutting off significant commute time and allowing me to use breaks to prepare fresh, healthy food, complete a quick chore, or take a walk around the block with my dog. My mental and physical health benefit greatly from these opportunities and I am able to return to work refreshed and better able to focus on the tasks at hand compared to days on-site when I can barely break away for a quick bite, eat lunch at my desk, or struggle to find somewhere to recharge without interruption. I also appreciate the economic and environmental impacts of telework, as both are issues that I consider to be important. With inflation and gas prices as high as they are, commuting is increasingly expensive for the workforce. Commuting also directly impacts the environment. According to the EPA, a passenger vehicle emits about 4.6 metric tons of carbon dioxide per year. As a member of the Hampton Roads community that is directly impacted year after year by the effects of climate change including storm activity and sea level rise, I am a staunch supporter of taking action to reduce carbon emissions and I believe reducing or eliminating the requirement to commute has potential to have a significant impact. In summary, I strongly support expanding the state agency telework goal to at least 45% of the eligible workforce. Thank you very much for your time and consideration.

Dear distinguished Delegates, Please pass this legislation and let’s build a Statewide network of State employees who can represent their local communities, come to office headquarters based on internal management agreements, and allow the current and next generation of workers have the opportunity for better work-life balance, fewer hours in cars on highways, competitive benefits with the private sector, and appreciation for the professionalism in State hires. With the arrival of Statewide broadband, priorities felt for family time, and the need to move further into rural and affordable places, it makes the most sense to provide telework options and hybrid office presence across the State. This will open up opportunities for more rural Virginians to have jobs in State government employment. I am one example of an individual who will soon move to a rural area out of necessity for my family, but also because I enjoy a rural lifestyle. However, I do not want to have to needlessly choose between my home life, family, and my job that is hybrid-telework capable and sensible. I am a future mother and future full time working parent, and consequently will experience an additional burden than those who have finished raising their children or do not have children in their home. We have an opportunity to make work-life balance easier for the current and next generation. These challenges were experienced by the generations who came before us, especially when two working parents per household became the norm, and now we have the technology and capabilities to make work and home life more enjoyable. As a professional who cares deeply about her work performance, I regard telework agreements as an ethical agreement I make with my Director and my fellow citizens who’s tax dollars support my work. State employees in my Division and across agencies with whom I collaborate including and not limited to DCR, DOF, DWR, VDACS, DEQ, VMRC, and VDH are more than showing up to work, including when they are teleworking; we care about our jobs, we are responsible with our time, we are productive, and most of all are trusted by our leadership to get the job done in a timely and efficient manner because that’s why we were hired in the first place. Please pass this legislation and re-instate the mission to recruit and retain hard working and dedicated State Employees.

We are losing a great deal of talented state disability analysts to federal benefits rating (analyst) jobs that offer many more days of telework (4 days per week). We are not able to compare in terms of salary - having that incentive/ benefit of telework is vital to our agency at Disability Determination Services - we process Social Security Disability claims. With rising costs of inflation (gas/food/rent) and childcare, telework was one way we could ease burdens on employees. I urge lawmakers to consider that agencies be allowed to allocate their own telework policies versus a blanket policy for all state jobs. Many employees commute from rural areas just to come into the office for a position that can be done by telework, with all metrics and productivity intact or increased by teleworking...no commute, less sick leave used, flexible working schedules to name a few. reasons why. Thank you for your time and consideration.

To Whom it May Concern, As a proud employee of DDS since 10/2020 (and pandemic hire), I was hired with flexible teleworking options and have proven that many can thrive with telework. Since starting as an Analyst Trainee I, I have been promoted 4 times in 2 years and risen to Training Unit Case Consultant (all while teleworking 4-5 days per week prior to the governor's mandate). I have also mentored new analysts, participated in C-IT and other programs to enrich our agency and innovate our workflow process, and been an office resource for training on the new disability software IMAGEN. My case accuracy and quality ratings have been consistently over 95% and I maintain Above Contributor level status on every performance evaluation. On top of that, my production is consistently 20% above goal level. I have time and time again proven that I can be responsible and production oriented while maintaining a healthy telework schedule. Please keep in mind that analyst positions are not customer facing, and regardless - we are performing sedentary desk jobs. I have noted a dip in my production since being called back into the office with the pretense of "in-person teamwork" being crucial to my position. I have found that performing analyst work actually flows better with zoom calls and skype meetings, allowing others to view your screen and improving our business process and efficiency. Not only are we needlessly using state resources (electric, utilities, etc.), but I am spending less time actually working due to my commute. I would log in at 6am -7am and work earlier in the day at home, as I am more productive in the mornings. Adding an unnecessary commute has cost me 2 hours of production in the morning. On top of everything, I suffer from chronic migraine headaches and have flourished being able to work from home and control my overhead lighting and noise level during the workday. The motto of DDS was "maximum flexibility, maximum accountability" and I have always lived up to my end of the bargain. When the governors mandate superseded our agency's autonomy and added restrictions that go against our workflow, this robbed us all of the flexibility we have taken so much pride in at the VA DDS. I am imploring you to please reinstate full telework at our Supervisor and Leadership teams discretion (as it should be). To be clear, this job can be performed well with full telework and I have proven this for 2 years. Please do not punish the motivated staff and high producers without basis. Our agency faces severe attrition problems, and our telework policy is a huge component to agency morale and a remedy for production woes. I appreciate your time, Michael Interdonato NDO Fairfax DDS Training Unit Case Consultant (N3)

I am currently a state employee in my mid 20's and I can't state how important it is to have more remote workdays or even a complete remote policy. Remote work is one of the reasons I ended up working at the state despite a salary gap of 20K if I worked for a private company. Telework has definitely helped attract many talented young workers. By adding more remote workdays, it would incentivize young workers to stay during a time where many of us are job hopping and simply looking for better opportunities.

I strongly support more telework days simply because this help me and millions of other improve our work habit and productivity. With more telework days, we can easily adjust into work routine, better work routine helps increase efficiency and reduce human errors. Also, I myself have seen a lot of loss of talents after the reduction of telework days. In order to compete with the private sector (where I used to work) we need to recruit more talents from other parts of Virginia, we have to adopt more telework days.

Mr. Chair and members of the committee I would like to first start by thanking you for taking the time to evaluate the necessity of my colleagues and I to have employment flexibility. My name is Rona Randall, I live in Norfolk. I am a proud employee of the commonwealth of Virginia and feel that my supervisors and colleagues have each other's best interest in heart and the best interest of the community in which we serve. Telework isn't for everyone, and neither is office work. Life fluctuates and so does the need for a flexible workplace. I support this bill because I want what's best for the citizens of Virginia, I want to serve them to the best of my ability, and sometimes that means working outside of the office. Speaking as a citizen of Virginia, I want those taking care of my interests to be as liberated and encouraged to take on future issues with future facing solutions.

Good morning, Telework is beneficial not only for employees but for employers as well. Productivity is shown to increase when individuals telework. Telework allows employees to complete job duties on days where they may take off because they cannot come to the office. It limits the spread of illnesses and provides a safe alternative for employees with health problems or concerns. The option to telework would be a crucial next step towards developing our nation and improving the livelihoods of people all throughout. In the Northern Virginia area traffic becomes very congested and cars are frequently out on the motorway attempting to get to work. Many people in this area work for government organizations or entities. During the pandemic when everybody was working from home, roads were not nearly as congested and traffic decreased. Not only is that better for the health and safety of the employees in the area but it is better for the environment overall. Pollution has been a problem throughout the world and automobiles contribute to a significant amount of air pollution. Limiting the amount of vehicles on the motorway would make drastic differences in the amount of pollution released in to the air. Telework has many benefits overall and many individuals would be attracted towards a work from home job. This would assist with the national unemployment as well as understaffed government sectors. Personally, I can't see any downsides to optional telework. I believe it would be in the best interest of not just the employees or employers but of all individuals throughout the country. It allows parents to see their children more often, engage in their life to maintain a healthy balance, and provide alternatives to those who would not be able to work in an office environment on the daily basis. For those that disagree with telework, they can have the option of not teleworking. I strongly urge the committee to take these factors in to account as they will not only provide for a better life now but for years to come.

As a new mother, teleworking would be beneficial for me and my family as a whole. I believe it is important for my daughter to grow up seeing her mother work and provide for our family, but that does not take away the stress of the hormonal and physical changes women go through after having children. The 8-12 weeks new mothers receive for maternity leave is not nearly enough to get a newborn adjusted to this new world they have entered, so having the ability to at least be at home with your children while working will have all around benefits for all mothers in the workforce. It takes a village to raise children and if it is possible to keep your village close knit in the home, only benefits will be seen by passing this bill. I also believe we will see more women entering or reentering the workforce if more jobs have teleworking opportunities. It is hard to ask a mother to choose between her job and her children, but with this option, they will not have to.

I have been a Commonwealth of Virginia employee for 42 years and 5 months. We have not had many extra benefits available to us over the years. Telehealth was a wonderful and necessary thing during COVID, and DDS was very successful in keeping the offices open with reduced staff and successfully working from home. DDS is losing employees because they can no longer telework as much as they did previously. We can't compete with other businesses who offer telehealth to their employees. Being able to telework makes employees happier and better employees. Please let employees work from home if they can meet their goals and do their work. We are underpaid and telehealth is a benefit that you could provide to keep employees that we have and hire competitive employees in the community. Thank you for your consideration.

Under the current Governor, telework policies that had been in place in the Commonwealth were uprooted and changed after the COVID-19 pandemic was ended. All state employees, including those that had previously been approved for 100% telework based on their job, were forced to return to the office three days per week. In 2023, societal focus is on lowering our carbon footprint, nurturing happier more productive employees, self-care, and reducing the abuse on our resources. SB 934 asks to increase the target for eligible state employee participation in telecommuting from 20% to 45%. During the worldwide pandemic I teleworked 100% as did most of my state employee colleagues and my production numbers and quality numbers were up. I had also been 100% teleworking for several years under the guise of my job description, and all of that was ripped away in July 2022. I now have to drive 120 miles roundtrip to get to work each day and I have been paying upwards of $5.00 per gallon on gas at times draining my wallet. I have a young child in school and our school system sent out a plea for parents to drive their children to and from school each day if possible due to statewide shortage of school bus drivers, so telework was affording me the ability to help out my child and my community. Additionally, my father is very ill and takes medication through a PICC line. I am the person in our family who manages his PICC line and adjusts and changes his medication bags every other day. Teleworking has afforded me the ability to be close to him whenever needed, instead of an hour away, and to take him to emergency medical visits as needed. Now I have had to call in other family members and church members for assistance. State employees receive notices all of the time about taking care of our health and the importance of self-care, which was much easier when we were working at home in a comfortable, illness free environment surrounded by our loving pets, loved ones, or other things that help to ease our stress and make us happy. Since returning to my hour long commute each day, I have experienced an increase in my blood pressure and stress. I experience neck and back pain from carrying my laptop in and out of the office each day, and I have contracted viral illnesses that have caused me to miss time from work. While working from home I was able to work even when I did not feel at my best or only for a few hours at times as I could. While working from home I avoided wear and tear on my aging car, saved money on gas and lunches, drastically cut down on the use of leave, saved money on work attire, reduced my carbon footprint drastically, used my own resources such as office supplies and electricity, and fully served the disabled population of Virginia without missing a beat. We are losing employees left and right in my agency and turnover is high. We are losing people to other companies that afford the telework option. Many people moved during the pandemic and were still able to work for our agencies, but now that we have returned to the office, they had to leave. It is 2023 and everything that we do is electronic. We no longer need office supplies and fax machines, as we can do everything electronically, so why must we trudge into an office building using up thousands and thousands of dollars of taxpayer's resources when we could instead invest that money into our schools, our roads, and our crucial infrastructure. Let's create a happier workforce!!

I support this bill. Telework is essential to me because it allowed me the opportunity to continue working in my current position. Without the option to telework, I would have to leave my employment and go elsewhere with the telework option available. I am a single mother and have limited support and resources regarding childcare. Having a stable job like my current position, allows me to provide necessities for my family that may not be available elsewhere. There are many Virginia employees that are either in the same or similar situation and are strictly dependent on being able to telework in order to keep their job. Thank you.

I support telework. I am a single parent with recent custody of an infant. Telework allows me to save money on day/childcare, gas, and car repairs. I can use this money to keep current and/or to make additional payments on mortgage and utility bills. I can also spend it on household items and other needs. It is less stressful teleworking than having to get myself and a child up and ready to go out each day.

As a working mom, telework provides flexibility to take care of both personal and home commitments simultaneously. It allows a seamless shift from my role as a mother to my role as a lead worker. I am never late signing on to telework; however, getting my child to childcare, then myself to the office occasionally leads to tardiness. I find myself working later into the afternoons on my sole telework day, as I don't have to worry about making it home in time to start the dinner routine. I am able to save time with commutes and money by parking fees and reduced gas usage. It also reduces the amount of time my child spends in childcare, reducing personal spending in that category. As a lead worker in a management-type position, I am distracted often in the office. We are in a cubicle environment, which leads to many unplanned visits and conversations. I am able to better channel productivity when teleworking. I am able to channel conversations to stay on topic and provide direct instructions, rather than being sidetracked. My production-based job statistics show during the pandemic when telework was the norm, my production numbers were greater. I am able to maximize effectiveness without distraction while teleworking. Production is harmed currently, as attrition has become a major issue. We have lead workers, supervisors, and many with leadership/management potential leaving the agency for works in the federal government or private sector due to telework opportunities. Because they were productive employees and have left the agency, production has dropped overall. Teleworking would increase our marketability to hire new employees to fill their positions, as we would be able to hire geographically distributed talent. Recent studies show the majority of workers view telecommuting as a job perk. In our agency/department, our face-to-face interaction with the public is limited. We are in a federal building with armed security. Individuals are discouraged from visiting DDS by security. In my 9-year tenure, I have met with 3 individuals face-to-face. In the time that I can address one person's issues in-person, time could be better spent controlling several conversations over the phone. Customer service is no longer a valid reason to discourage telework. Overhead costs of having 2 office locations within the same city block could also be saved with teleworking. The DDS has 2 offices in Roanoke - Southwest District Office and the Extended Service Team. These offices do the same job. If telework were to become an option, the cost of renting 2 office spaces could be reduced. Instead, those funds would be better allocated towards increasing salaries of employees, making the available positions increasingly marketable, thus increasing retention and overall production. Great consideration should be given to the overall benefits of telework for both workers and the Commonwealth. It is vital to the growth of our state, quality of customer service, and retention of quality employees. Please consider this note as having my undying support in further expansion of the telework opportunity for employees of the Commonwealth.

I work at Norfolk Disability Determination and adjudicate disability claims. I am also a wife and a mother to a young daughter. I support the Telework bill because, as someone who works on a computer all day and also has a lot of personal commitments, teleworking is an amazing option for those of us who would like to pursue it more often. Gas prices are going up, commuting in traffic is difficult, stressful and time consuming and it is overall easier, cheaper and more efficient for me to telework. If I had the ability to do so, I would save so much money on gas per week, time (as I have to drop my toddler off before starting my commute to work) and I feel like my production rate would be higher as I would be more comfortable in my own home. Please take my experience and the experience of my peers into consideration. Everyone deserves to telework if it is conducive to their job.

Please consider increasing the amount of telework available for state employees. We proved that we are successful at working from home during the pandemic and it provides us with a flexibility that enables us to be available for our families as well. For example, I spend over two hours a day commuting because I have a disabled adult child who must have supervision. When I was teleworking I could be there in case of emergency without having to drive my child elsewhere for care and then drive to the office. My entire job is computer based and I have no problem being productive from home. However, since telework was repealed I am required to work in the office every single day. As long as I am able to do my job effectively from home, why make things harder for your employees?

Dear Mr. Chair and members of the committee, please allow me to introduce myself. My name is Sharon Shinall, I live in Richlands, VA. I support the telework ability without reservations. Due to it I was allowed to keep my job with DARS-DDS in Roanoke and continue to live near my family in Southwest VA. I moved to Roanoke to work for DARS-DDS due to my passion for helping the citizens of Virginia, by making medical decisions for disability benefits. My job does not require me to meet the claimants I serve, I do 99.9% of my work on the phone and on a computer with requesting medical records, talking to claimants, doctors and others in the process. By allowing me to telework I am able to give 100% of my attention to my work and ensuring I make the best decision without office distractions. I am in contact with all my office staff and supervisor as needed by computer and phone. I am also older and with health issues the office environment is a challenge with viruses and health issues. So, working from home allows me to continue to be the productive worker, I have been for over 20 years. I have worked from home now since 3/2020 and totally support this for all employees within state employment. Telework allows for less down time with illnesses by employees, improves a better work-life balance for employees, allows for better production/quality and reduces the job stresses we face. The state benefits by giving DDS a wider talent pool to draw from for analyst, as we are highly skilled. It lowers the overall office space costs needed for an agency and as we have shown with Covid allowed our agency to maintain our goals even during times of a disaster. We continued to keep the claimants served and that's what is important. I want to thank the committee for their time and consideration of allowing telework to continue and even expand.

I am a state employee and work in Environmental Health. I am a field employee and objectively should be allowed more telework time in order to increase productivity. I train new health inspectors and it is impossible to retain quality employees because we are not offering competitive teleworking options and low salaries.

To whom it may concern: Mr. Chair and members of the committee . My name is Megan Joy. I live in Fairfax County. I support SB934 because I support telework. To me telework offers support of employees in so many ways. I believe when employees feel supported, they produce better work and are less likely to relocate their jobs. I know that is how I feel. I am gratefut for the support and flexibility that allow me to feel like a whole person. I am able to cut my commute and complete my work from home in the same amount of time it takes in the office. I am less stressed and feel more supported in my work overall because of telework. Thank you for their time and consideration in support of telework.

Increasing the options for telework helps provides a better work/life balance, and helps improve morale as well as productive. The reduction in telework options last year has resulted in many employees leaving to work for places that allow teleworking, and has negatively impacted morale of remaining state employees.

Members of the committee, I support the Telework Bill SB934. I find it beneficial to me and all Virginia workers because it provides work life balance and preventing lost of talent. With work life balance, people take the time to take care of themselves which provided a better work environment to perform better and have a more creative mind set. It also makes it easier on those who have to commute long distance because then they don't have to sit through traffic and it more economical for them. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to share.

Mr. Chair and members of the committee, my name is Kelly Burke and I live in Chesapeake, Virginia. I work for the DDS in Norfolk, VA and commute three days per week. I support any and all opportunities to telework and/or increase telework in any position feasible to do so. I personally think that each department in the Commonwealth has better knowledge and insight to what employees are able to accomplish remotely, rather than having those determinations funnel through the Executive Branch of the State (Governor's office). My particular job is production-based and I do not deal with the public in person at all, however, the right to telework full-time was taken away with the recent Governor's mandate. My understanding is our management team has no authority to override this, which is ludicrous, as they are the "boots on the ground" and know what our agency is capable of. Thank you for your time and consideration.

Please increase teleworking to 45% and I support this bill

Telecommuting pros: • Lower expenses of building rental, maintain and utilities. This money can then be spent for state employee raises and COLA increases and additional Heath Insurance Credit for state retirees  • The Commonwealth of Virginia and all of the offices will not have to close down because of weather • Help the environment with less cars on the road to lower car emissions • Attract the best job candidates as telecommuting  will help to support a better work/life balance • Increase employee job satisfaction  • Improve absenteeism  • Increase productivity

Mr. Chair and members of the committee I am hoping you support this proposed bill to increase the ability for the Commonwealth to attract and retain competitive, highly trained staff. Private corporations are continuing to advertise highly sought after telework jobs and it is hard for the Commonwealth to compete with salaries and with fringe benefits like this reduced it places undue strain on our ability to offer competitive packages. Teleworking reduces travel time, broadens the search area of potential candidates, reduces the needs office space, and creates savings for the individuals working for the Commonwealth in both travel related expenses and giving them back time in each day to enjoy their families and all their is to do in this great Commonwealth. The pandemic proved that many Commonwealth jobs can function fully and even at a higher level in some cases due to lack of distraction in the office via a telework modality. Please continue to move the Commonwealth forward and make us a competitive employer.

I am in support of this bill. Under the new telework guidelines, positions are lumped together without consideration for job variances, actual duties, personnel abilities, or if their manager's support it. This new policy will require staff to come in more than "pre-covid" levels; Using myself as an example, my job title is considered a field position however 90% of my job duties are computer based in my district. Prior to COVID, I teleworked 2 days a weeks for years. Now, with the new guidelines, my only options are to work with management to change my job title (which will have other impacts) or to give up teleworking. What about the drains on other resources? State building operating costs, road conditions, smug and emissions impacts created by having more cars on the road? What about VDOT's agreements with the EPA to reduce smug and emissions pollutants by allowing a certain level of telework? What about staff moral and work performance? I know that not everyone can successfully telework, but those who can, should be able to. I feel that I'm more effective at home, without the social distractions of the office. At the end of the day, it should be up to my local management team to decide if I'm successful my role and if I should be allowed to telework. While trying to make thing the 'same' for all job titles, may sound like a great idea, roles and responsibilities are not equal, agencies and various districts don't operating the same, people are not created the same, they do not have the same work ethics or skill sets... so why create a policy that is more punitive and creates a work environment of the 90's? Additionally, it makes working for the state significantly less competitive with the open market making it very difficult to hire and maintain qualified staff. Outside of my employment, as a tax payer, I don't agree with the approval process. Why have so many layers of high level management, if the governor finds them incapable of personnel management. Using myself as an example (a mid level manager), there are 4 layers of management between myself on my District Engineer (all of which have no telework approval authority); 6 to myself and the Commissioner of Highways; 7 to the Secretary of Transportation; and finally 8 to the Governor. These high level positions should be making decisions on strategy, state highway plans, statewide budgets, statewide issues and concern's... not on who can telework or not.

Mr. Chair and members of the committee, My name is Marc Crippen, I live in Chesapeake, VA. I support the bill to expand the telecommuting policy. Telecommuting provides an opportunity to get more work done. There tends to be less distractions and more opportunities to concentrate. According to the Stanford Graduate School of Business remote workers are 13% more productive than office workers. Telecommuting employees are still available to colleagues via text, phone calls and video conferencing. Also, The State can reduce cost on real estate by reducing the size of office space needed to house every employee. Employees are less stressed from commuting and are less likely to call out or be late to work, as they have instant access to their computer. Telecommuting employees can be healthier by being exposed less to germs or by exposing others to any germs they may have unknowingly been exposed to. Again, I support SB 934 which increases the target for eligible state employees participation in telecommuting from 20 to 45% by 1/1/2024. Thank you for your time and consideration

I work for the state of Virginia as of 2021 but previously worked for the state of Oregon. I moved here for a job opportunity with the DDS, and continue my commitment to the agency and public service. As background content when the pandemic hit Oregon created a fully remote business structure and process to continue serving Oregonians that involved virtual eligibility (VEC) where I administered public programs such as Oregon Health Plan. When the job was offered to me I was very excited to be a part of the Roanoke DDS team, and I still am. However during the interview it was made clear to me that Virginia had a telework policy that would be continued to be supported, and due to my 1st hand experience knowing that jobs can be completed remotely, I was attracted to this component of the job as well. I also had a job offer in Raliegh NC but Roanoke was my first choice and I am very glad to be here. However I would like to say that in a free market economy the state needs to continue to be competitive to other businesses, as well as other state agencies - and any kind of roll back on these policies will make the state less competitive. The trend is clear that with private companies like Yelp abandoning their physical offices completely that teleworking is here to stay and those companies that do offer greater worker agency will come out on top. And while I do enjoy seeing my coworker face to face occasionally, most of my day is dedicated to my laptop screen and getting work done. For those that do not support continued teleworking polices, I do not believe they have real world experience with successful business processes. In the case of Oregon most of the vulnerable public we served were perfectly content with undergoing an intake process telephonically, and not coming into a sterile government building. Please remember the public that you serve when considering this bill. Thank you.

As a state government employee, telework made a massive difference in my day to day life. Due to the lack of commuting, I ended up spending more time with my family - helping to create healthy relationships with my children. I made healthy meals every night, and the kids spent more time with their mother. Since returning to the office, the kids are under someone else's care for 11 hours a day due to commute times. I do not get to see them long before bed, and it is always a mad dash. We have fast food more often than not. We are spending an extra $700 a month for me to work between child care for two children. In terms of my mental health, I have experienced more job burnout since returning to the office. I feel under appreciated, and the work feels more constraining. I am less productive than when I was teleworking full time. The removal of full-time telework has shown led many of my coworkers to quit to find other companies (or federal government agencies), that offer more time away from the office. This has created an experience loss that will not be recreated for ten to twenty years - if ever.

Telework gives employees more control over their schedules and flexibility in meeting professional and personal responsibilities. It can offer freedom from office distractions, reduce work-life stress, provide opportunities for a better work-life balance, helps reduce operation costs, employee turnover, and provides an alternative workplace arrangement for individuals with different abilities. It also enhances employee morale as staff feels more valued and respected when employers allow them to have more control over their schedules.

My position is non-public facing and my work is primarily completed electronically and through telephone. My work is done independently and requires limited interaction with others that can be performed virtually when needed. The performance of my job duties can effectively be monitored remotely. I am able to telework seamlessly due to the Commonwealth’s electronic procurement system and electronic file system. Teleworking provides the ability to concentrate on tasks without office distractions. In addition, my daily commute is a minimum of two hours. Teleworking provides relief to the cost of commuting and frees the time spent in travel. I

When the pandemic forced our State agencies to provide services virtually, we did it. Employees stepped up to the plate and provided our clients with services. A good employee is a good employee whether in an office or working remotely. Thank you for considering this bill as it continues to provide clients with excellent services while serves to help with retention of good State employees.

Eight states have already passed legislation to use Hyerbaric Oxygen Therapy for TBI/PTSD: OK, TX, IN, KY, AZ, FL, NC, and MD. Over 800,000 servie members are suffering from brain wounds that cannot and will not be treated by the VA. They continue to use drugs and talk therapy and other inadequate and even harmful interventions to tamp down symptoms. Why, in the name of all that is holy, would they be prescribing drugs THAT WARN OF SUICIDAL IDEATION when there have been over 100,000 suicides among active duty and veteran and National Guard and Reserve service members? Virginians owe it to their brain wounded veterans to make Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy available to the wounded. Coincidentally, treating and healing brain wounds will return money to the Treasury when the wounded can go back to work, pay taxes, and, importantly, heal their families. Pass SB 1082

Comments Document

Virginia is home to 670,000 veterans. A recent report discovered approximately 30,985 of those veterans are suffering from unresolved brain wounds. Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT) Facts: - HBOT is common practice for 14 indications that are covered by FDA. Four of these pertain to wound healing and over 10 are covered by CMS and Tricare. HBOT chambers are an FDA-approved medical device. - 21,000 successes treating TBI attest to safety and efficacy - Receiving hyperbaric oxygen therapy requires a physical examination and script from an MD. - All practitioners in a HBOT clinics and hospitals (i.e., physicians, nurses, and technicians) receive specialized, intensive training on hyperbaric oxygen therapy protocols. Economic Impact: - Medical treatment for a Virginian suffering from traumatic brain injury costs $67,000 to $2.6M for an average 40-year post-injury lifespan. The cost to provide a 1-time 2-month hyperbaric oxygen therapy treatment protocol is $10,000-15,000. With that, we have a 95% successful rehabilitation rate among 6,000+ veterans that have received this life-changing treatment. - SB1082 will allow Virginia’s Veterans to get the effective, high-quality healthcare treatment they deserve by underwriting Hyperbaric Oxygenation and adding to the scientific record of safety and efficacy. It will be that rare return on investment that restores funds to the Commonwealth in avoided costs and increased revenue from newly-restored workers, now taxpayers. Reducing Gun Violence and Opioid Dependency & Preventing Domestic Abuse - Providing HBOT can eliminate suicidal ideation among Virginia veterans and stop veteran suicides. As the wounds in veterans’ brains heal, anger outbursts subside, emotional regulation is restored, and impulsivity is decreased. Depression, stress, and anxiety all have shown to decrease as well. Hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) is a safe, effective treatment that addresses the root causes of veterans’ suffering (instead of band aiding symptoms with opioid prescriptions). By healing veterans from the inside-out, we will reduce potential gun violence and domestic abuse, while mending and strengthening Virginian families and communities and improving the quality of life for all residents at the same time. Improve Streamlined Access to High Quality Healthcare: - Currently, there is no clear path for Virginia veterans to receive HBOT for treating traumatic brain injuries and post-traumatic stress. Veterans report to the VA for medical care, but VA physicians do not know about hyperbaric oxygen therapy nor do they know they can refer veterans to local, certified clinics that can help. SB1082 provides a clear pathway to treatment not only for veterans who are needlessly suffering, but also for VA physicians as well. - Our veteran community has learned about hyperbaric oxygen therapy from other Virginia veterans who have experienced success: https://bit.ly/fromourveterans . Treatment Efficacy: - To the best of our knowledge, over 9 years of treating veterans suffering from traumatic brain injury and post-traumatic stress with hyperbaric oxygen therapy, not one Virginia veteran has been lost to suicide. - As wounds in the brain heal from hyperbaric oxygen therapy, veterans have safely decreased the pharmaceutical medications they once relied on to band aid the symptoms of TBI. 95% of TBI-veterans safely discontinue 70% of pharmaceutical prescriptions following HBOT.

Not comfortable with this. I researched the FDA and the way this bill is proposing HBOT to be used for a purpose other than its intended one. We really need to stop this bill until we can figure something out.