President Trump has signed an executive order requiring federal workers to return to the office full-time, reversing trends toward remote work. The directive reflects ongoing Republican criticism regarding inefficiencies allegedly caused by telework. Iowa Senator Joni Ernst expressed concern over service backlogs and delays due to remote work and cited statistics indicating that only a small percentage of federal employees were working in-person. However, U.S. Office of Personnel Management data reveals that a majority of federal workers do already work in-person full-time. Critics warn that a blanket policy could hinder the government’s flexibility in addressing challenges.
Heads of all departments and agencies in the executive branch of Government shall, as soon as practicable, take all necessary steps to terminate remote work arrangements and require employees to return to work in-person at their respective duty stations on a full-time basis.
Service backlogs and delays, unanswered phone calls and emails, and no-show appointments are harming the health, lives, and aspirations of Americans.
While many federal agencies have supported prolonged telework, a one-size-fits-all approach could dramatically impact the federal government's ability to handle the most important challenges that we face.
In May 2024, 54% of the 2.3 million civilians employed by the federal government work entirely in-person, with about 10% working entirely remotely.
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