Duty Station. All pay and travel entitlements are based on the official duty station.

Voluntary Participation. The employee voluntarily agrees to work at the agency-approved alternative worksite indicated above and agrees to follow all applicable policies and procedures. This is a flexibility that may be used by management to accomplish work needs. However an employee may not be forced or coerced into a telecommuting arrangement.

Salary and Benefits. Working at an alternative worksite is not a basis for changing the employee's salary or benefits.

Official Duties. The employee will perform official duties only at the official duty station or agency-approved alternative worksite. Employee agrees not to conduct personal business while in official duty status at the alternative worksite.

Time and Attendance. The employee will follow established office procedures for requesting and obtaining approval of leave. The supervisor agrees to certify biweekly the time and attendance for hours worked at the regular office and the alternative worksite.

Overtime. Supervisors are responsible for ensuring that telecommuters work overtime only on duties for which the supervisor intends to make overtime payment. Non-exempt employees must be paid overtime (or compensatory time, under certain circumstances) when overtime hours are ordered and approved in advance by a supervisor with the authority to authorize overtime. Employees designated Anon-exempt@ are covered by the overtime provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). Any work performed by a non-exempt employee that a supervisor Asuffers or permits@ must be counted as hours of work for pay purposes. Suffered and permit is defined as any work performed by an employee for the benefit of OPM, whether requested or not, provided the supervisor is aware that work is being performed and has the opportunity to prevent the work from being performed. Employees agree that failure to obtain proper approval for overtime work may result in termination of the telecommuting privilege and/or other appropriate action.

Equipment. The employee will protect any Government-owned equipment and use of such equipment is governed by the OPM Policy on Personal Use of Government Office Equipment. The agency will maintain and service Government-owned equipment. The employee may be required to bring the equipment into the traditional Federal office for service. The telecommuting center will install, service and maintain all telecenter equipment.

Liability. The Government will not be liable for damages to an employee's personal or real property while the employee is working at the approved alternative worksite, except to the extent the Government is held liable by the Federal Tort Claims Act or the Military Personnel and Civilian Employees Claims Act.

Worksite. The employee will provide a work area adequate for performance of official duties. The employee agrees to review work space that is located in a personal residence for conformance with suggested safety checklist.