Workplace Accommodation: EPA's Alternative Workspace Process Requires GreaterManagerial Oversight

摘要

This letter responds a request to provide information concerning the U.S.Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) decision to allow one of its headquarters employees to work in her home rather than in her assigned office workspace. This employee had sought an alternative work location owing to her belief that something present in her EPA office environment was causing her health problems. Information is also included about a grievance that this employee had filed relating to problems she reportedly experienced while working at home. In the course of obtaining information on this specific employee's case, it was noted that the internal controls on the EPA's alternative workspace (AWS) approval process-of which authorization to work at home is a part-appeared to be weak. Accordingly, in concert with the accomplishment of our principal objectives, the adequacy of the internal controls in place for the AWS process was assessed. This work included a review of all AWS cases approved by EPA during the period from November 1988 through November 1991. -BKA.