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Dallas committee weighs telework policy, asks HR for department-level data
Summary
Human Resources summarized the city's telework administrative directive (AD 380) and told the committee 89 employees have formal telework agreements (mostly hybrid). Council members asked HR for department-by-department counts, productivity comparisons and details on whether senior managers telework.
Human Resources Director Nina Arias briefed the Administrative Affairs Committee on Jan. 20 about the city's telework administrative directive (AD 380), and council members used the briefing to press for department-level data and clearer accountability measures.
Arias said AD 380 (initially issued May 10, 2021) was last revised April 18, 2022; the HR FAQ was updated April 18, 2023; a departmental review is recorded as Nov. 4, 2025. The directive's stated objectives are to align telework with operational needs, ensure accountability, protect city property and data, and provide supervisors with authority to approve or revoke telework based on performance. Arias emphasized that telework is distinct from reasonable accommodations and is not an entitlement.
When asked how many employees have formal telework agreements, HR said about 89 employees citywide currently have formal agreements, most on a hybrid schedule (one to two days per week). Arias told the committee the telework roster is maintained outside the city's Workday system in a separate HR database and that supervisors are expected to evaluate telework arrangements annually. She said HR is working to move the data into Workday but has not yet done so.
Council members from several districts expressed concern that the city lacks a citywide productivity analysis comparing teleworkers to in-person employees, that senior managers may be teleworking without public clarity, and that extensive remote work is reducing downtown foot traffic and collaboration. Several members requested a memo listing telework counts and percentages by department, how many staff have formal versus informal agreements, and which senior managers (directors, assistant directors, ACMs) have telework arrangements.
What's next: HR will provide department-by-department telework counts and a follow-up memo. The committee asked staff to include: the number of telework days per employee, whether managers and senior leaders have telework agreements, what metrics supervisors use to assess telework performance, and whether informal arrangements are being tracked.
Quotes
"Telework is distinct from reasonable accommodations," Nina Arias said, noting the policy is designed to "support departmental flexibility where telework aligns with operational needs."
"I would like to know the department, the number, and the percentage for each department," Chair Middleton said, calling for a detailed report.
Ending
The committee requested HR return with a memo and datasets showing department-level telework counts, hybrid schedules, and supervisory performance measures; the committee indicated it will revisit telework policy after staff provides the requested information.
