---
kind: "section"
citation: "5 U.S.C. § 5711"
title: "5"
title_heading: "Government Organization and Employees"
number: "5711"
heading: "Authority for telework travel expenses programs"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/5/5711"
units:
  - "Part III — Employees"
  - "Subpart D — Pay and Allowances"
  - "Chapter 57 — Travel, Transportation, and Subsistence"
  - "Subchapter I — Travel and Subsistence Expenses; Mileage Allowances"
---

# §5711. Authority for telework travel expenses programs

- (a) Except as provided under [subsection (f)(1)](#f-1), in this section, the term “[appropriate committees of Congress](/usc/5/9801.md?p=6)” means—
  - (1) the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs of the Senate; and
  - (2) the Committee on Oversight and [Government](/usc/5/5701.md?p=5) Reform of the House of Representatives.
- (b)
  - (1) Notwithstanding any other provision of this subchapter, under a test program which the [Administrator](/usc/5/9801.md?p=2) of General [Services](/usc/5/8401.md?p=26) determines to be in the interest of the [Government](/usc/5/5701.md?p=5) and approves, an employing [agency](/usc/5/5701.md?p=1) may [pay](/usc/5/7511.md?p=a-4) through the proper disbursing official any necessary travel expenses in lieu of any payment otherwise authorized or required under this subchapter for [employees](/usc/5/5701.md?p=2) participating in a [telework](/usc/5/6501.md?p=3) program. Under an approved test program, an [agency](/usc/5/5701.md?p=1) may provide an [employee](/usc/5/5701.md?p=2) with the option to waive any payment authorized or required under this subchapter. An [agency](/usc/5/5701.md?p=1) shall include in any request to the [Administrator](/usc/5/9801.md?p=2) for approval of such a test program an analysis of the expected costs and benefits and a set of criteria for evaluating the effectiveness of the program.
  - (2) Any test program conducted under this section shall be designed to enhance cost savings or other efficiencies that accrue to the [Government](/usc/5/5701.md?p=5).
  - (3) Under any test program, if an [agency](/usc/5/5701.md?p=1) [employee](/usc/5/5701.md?p=2) voluntarily relocates from the pre-existing duty station of that [employee](/usc/5/5701.md?p=2), the [Administrator](/usc/5/9801.md?p=2) may authorize the employing [agency](/usc/5/5701.md?p=1) to establish a reasonable maximum number of occasional visits to the pre-existing duty station before that [employee](/usc/5/5701.md?p=2) is [eligible](/usc/5/4701.md?p=a-3) for payment of any accrued travel expenses by that [agency](/usc/5/5701.md?p=1).
  - (4) Nothing in this section is intended to limit the [authority](/usc/5/7103.md?p=a-6) of any [agency](/usc/5/5701.md?p=1) to conduct test programs.
- (c) The [Administrator](/usc/5/9801.md?p=2) shall transmit a copy of any test program approved by the [Administrator](/usc/5/9801.md?p=2) under this section, and the rationale for approval, to the [appropriate committees of Congress](/usc/5/9801.md?p=6) at least 30 days before the effective date of the program.
- (d)
  - (1) An [agency](/usc/5/5701.md?p=1) authorized to conduct a test program under [subsection (b)](#b) shall provide to the [Administrator](/usc/5/9801.md?p=2), the [Telework](/usc/5/6501.md?p=3) Managing Officer of that [agency](/usc/5/5701.md?p=1), and the [appropriate committees of Congress](/usc/5/9801.md?p=6) a report on the results of the program not later than 3 months after completion of the program.
  - (2) The results in a report described under [paragraph (1)](#d-1) may include—
    - (A) the number of visits an [employee](/usc/5/5701.md?p=2) makes to the pre-existing duty station of that [employee](/usc/5/5701.md?p=2);
    - (B) the travel expenses paid by the [agency](/usc/5/5701.md?p=1);
    - (C) the travel expenses paid by the [employee](/usc/5/5701.md?p=2); or
    - (D) any other information the [agency](/usc/5/5701.md?p=1) determines useful to aid the [Administrator](/usc/5/9801.md?p=2), [Telework](/usc/5/6501.md?p=3) Managing Officer, and Congress in understanding the test program and the impact of the program.
- (e) No more than 10 test programs under this section may be conducted simultaneously.
- (f)
  - (1) In this subsection, the term “[appropriate committees of Congress](/usc/5/9801.md?p=6)” means—
    - (A) the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs of the Senate;
    - (B) the Committee on Oversight and Reform of the House of Representatives;
    - (C) the Committee on the Judiciary of the Senate; and
    - (D) the Committee on the Judiciary of the House of Representatives.
  - (2) The Patent and Trademark [Office](/usc/5/5402.md?p=3) shall conduct a program under this subsection.
  - (3) In conducting the program under this subsection, the Patent and Trademark [Office](/usc/5/5402.md?p=3) may [pay](/usc/5/7511.md?p=a-4) any travel expenses of an [employee](/usc/5/5701.md?p=2) for travel to and from a Patent and Trademark [Office](/usc/5/5402.md?p=3) worksite or provide an [employee](/usc/5/5701.md?p=2) with the option to waive any payment authorized or required under this subchapter, if—
    - (A) the [employee](/usc/5/5701.md?p=2) is employed at a Patent and Trademark [Office](/usc/5/5402.md?p=3) worksite and enters into an approved [telework](/usc/5/6501.md?p=3) arrangement;
    - (B) the [employee](/usc/5/5701.md?p=2) requests to [telework](/usc/5/6501.md?p=3) from a location beyond the local commuting area of the Patent and Trademark [Office](/usc/5/5402.md?p=3) worksite; and
    - (C) the Patent and Trademark [Office](/usc/5/5402.md?p=3) approves the requested arrangement for reasons of [employee](/usc/5/5701.md?p=2) convenience instead of an [agency](/usc/5/5701.md?p=1) need for the [employee](/usc/5/5701.md?p=2) to relocate in order to perform duties specific to the new location.
  - (4)
    - (A) The Patent and Trademark [Office](/usc/5/5402.md?p=3) shall establish an oversight committee comprising an equal number of [members](/usc/5/8401.md?p=20) representing management and labor, including representatives from each [collective bargaining](/usc/5/7103.md?p=a-12) unit.
    - (B) The oversight committee shall develop and maintain the operating procedures for the program under this subsection to—
      - (i) provide for the effective and appropriate functioning of the program; and
      - (ii) ensure that—
        - (I) reasonable technological or other alternatives to [employee](/usc/5/5701.md?p=2) travel are used before requiring [employee](/usc/5/5701.md?p=2) travel, including teleconferencing, videoconferencing or internet-based technologies;
        - (II) the program is applied consistently and equitably throughout the Patent and Trademark [Office](/usc/5/5402.md?p=3); and
        - (III) an optimal operating standard is developed and implemented for maximizing the use of the [telework](/usc/5/6501.md?p=3) arrangement described under [paragraph (2)](#f-2) while minimizing [agency](/usc/5/5701.md?p=1) travel expenses and [employee](/usc/5/5701.md?p=2) travel requirements.
  - (5)
    - (A) The program under this subsection shall be designed to enhance cost savings or other efficiencies that accrue to the [Government](/usc/5/5701.md?p=5).
    - (B) The [Director](/usc/5/8401.md?p=8) of the Patent and Trademark [Office](/usc/5/5402.md?p=3) shall prepare and submit to the [appropriate committees of Congress](/usc/5/9801.md?p=6) an annual report on the operation of the program under this subsection, which shall include—
      - (i) the costs and benefits of the program; and
      - (ii) an analysis of the effectiveness of the program, as determined under criteria developed by the [Director](/usc/5/8401.md?p=8).
    - (C) With respect to an [employee](/usc/5/5701.md?p=2) of the Patent and Trademark [Office](/usc/5/5402.md?p=3) who voluntarily relocates from the pre-existing duty station of that [employee](/usc/5/5701.md?p=2), the operating procedures of the program may include a reasonable maximum number of occasional visits to the pre-existing duty station before that [employee](/usc/5/5701.md?p=2) is [eligible](/usc/5/4701.md?p=a-3) for payment of any accrued travel expenses by the [Office](/usc/5/5402.md?p=3).
- (g) The [authority](/usc/5/7103.md?p=a-6) to conduct test programs under [subsection (b)](#b) shall expire on December 31, 2020.

## Source credit

(Added Pub. L. 111–292, § 3(a), Dec. 9, 2010, 124 Stat. 3171; amended Pub. L. 115–232, div. A, title XI, § 1105(a), Aug. 13, 2018, 132 Stat. 2001; Pub. L. 116–283, div. A, title XI, § 1112(a), Jan. 1, 2021, 134 Stat. 3893.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### Amendments

2021—Pub. L. 116–283, § 1112(a)(1), struck out “test” before “programs” in section catchline.

Subsec. (f)(1). Pub. L. 116–283, § 1112(a)(2)(A)(i), substituted “appropriate committees” for “appropriate committee” in introductory provisions.

Subsec. (f)(1)(B). Pub. L. 116–283, § 1112(a)(2)(A)(ii), struck out “Government” before “Reform”.

Subsec. (f)(2). Pub. L. 116–283, § 1112(a)(2)(B), struck out “test” before “program” and substituted “subsection” for “section, including the provision of reports in accordance with subsection (d)(1)”.

Subsec. (f)(4)(B). Pub. L. 116–283, § 1112(a)(2)(C), inserted “and maintain” after “develop” in introductory provisions.

Subsec. (f)(5)(A). Pub. L. 116–283, § 1112(a)(2)(D)(i), struck out “test” before “program”.

Subsec. (f)(5)(B). Pub. L. 116–283, § 1112(a)(2)(D)(ii), added subpar. (B) and struck out former subpar. (B) which read as follows:

“(B) The Director of the Patent and Trademark Office shall—

“(i) prepare an analysis of the expected costs and benefits and a set of criteria for evaluating the effectiveness of the program; and

“(ii) before the test program is implemented, submit the analysis and criteria to the Administrator of General Services and to the appropriate committees of Congress.”

Subsec. (g). Pub. L. 116–283, § 1112(a)(3), substituted “subsection (b)” for “this section”.

2018—Subsec. (g). Pub. L. 115–232 substituted “on December 31, 2020” for “7 years after the date of the enactment of the Telework Enhancement Act of 2010”.

### Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

### Change of Name

Committee on Oversight and Government Reform of House of Representatives changed to Committee on Oversight and Reform of House of Representatives by House Resolution No. 6, One Hundred Sixteenth Congress, Jan. 9, 2019. Committee on Oversight and Reform of House of Representatives changed to Committee on Oversight and Accountability of House of Representatives by House Resolution No. 5, One Hundred Eighteenth Congress, Jan. 9, 2023.

### Effective Date of 2018 Amendment

Pub. L. 115–232, div. A, title XI, § 1105(b), Aug. 13, 2018, 132 Stat. 2001, provided that: “The amendment made by subsection (a) [amending this section] shall take effect as though enacted on December 1, 2017.”