Pandemic flu plan raises concern: ‘No one is in charge’

By MOLLIE ZIEGLER - May 16, 2006

The division of labor among agencies that the Bush administration envisions for dealing with pandemic flu ignores lessons learned from the government’s disjointed response to Hurricane Katrina, critics say. The 300-point plan outlining the responsibilities of dozens of agencies “ignores the adage that when everyone is in charge, no one is in charge,” Rep. Henry Waxman, D-Calif., said at a May 11 hearing of the House Government Reform Committee.

Under the White House’s plan, released May 3, the Health and Human Services Department is responsible for medical response to an outbreak, including building stockpiles of vaccines and drug treatments, while the Homeland Security Department directs the overall response. Dozens of other agencies would be involved in overseeing other aspects of a response, such as those concerning animals, transportation and the environment.

Telework the answer?

One concern in a pandemic is getting employees at responding agencies and others to work.

Some public health experts say that the effects of a pandemic could come in waves that last for weeks or months and that as many as 40 percent of employees could be absent from work due to illness, caring for family members or fear of infection, Comptroller General David Walker told the committee.

A survey of federal employees released May 11 by the Telework Exchange, a public-private partnership devoted to increasing federal telework opportunities, put the number higher: Seventy-three percent of federal employees said they would not come to work in the event of a flu outbreak. Ninety percent said their agencies had provided no guidance on what to do in the case of an outbreak, and 71 percent said their agencies are not prepared to continue operating in the event of a pandemic.

Working from home could help agencies continue operating and agencies should bolster their accommodation of flexible work arrangements, Walker said. In a survey by the Government Accountability Office, which Walker heads, none of 23 major agencies demonstrated they had the technology to ensure key personnel could work from home. While nine of the 23 reported they planned to have some of their essential employees work from home, only one agency had notified employees that they would be expected to do so.

GAO criticized the Federal Emergency Management Agency for guidelines that don’t specify how agencies should prepare to use alternate work arrangements.

“If agencies do not make adequate preparations, they may not be able to use telework effectively to ensure the continuity of their essential functions in emergencies, including pandemic influenza events,” Walker said.

The Bush plan tasks the Office of Personnel Management with developing human resources management policies for agencies and updating three existing telework guides. Director Linda Springer told the committee the agency will draft guidance for alternative work arrangements, relevant leave and work scheduling policies and information on how to hire employees if large numbers of federal employees are unable to carry out their duties for an extended time. Springer said the agency would have the guidance done by early August.