During the first hearing of the 119th Congress, Oversight Committee Chairman Rep. James Comer, R-Ky., expressed strong disapproval of the Biden administration's handling of federal employees' return to the office. Comer criticized the administration for what he deemed a 'failure' to end telework and bring federal employees back to their office spaces.
According to a report by the Oversight Committee, as of May 2024, over a million telework-eligible federal employees were only in-office three times a week, with an additional 228,000 employees never coming to the office at all. The report, prepared by Republicans on the committee, argues that telework policies have had a detrimental impact on government agencies.
Comer specifically called out Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-Ny., for allegedly delaying the Show Up Act, which aims to restore federal employees' telework to pre-pandemic levels. The Chairman highlighted the underutilization of federal agency offices in the DC area, with occupancy rates as low as 12%, leading to wastage of taxpayer money on maintaining empty office spaces.
The report suggests that President-elect Trump is inheriting a workforce that is largely absent from their offices due to telework policies entrenched by the Biden administration. Comer also emphasized the economic impact of reduced foot traffic in DC, echoing concerns raised by Mayor Muriel Bowser.
Bowser, who has been advocating for changes to the telework policy, met with President-elect Trump to discuss utilizing underutilized federal buildings in the city. Both expressed a desire for Washington, DC to reflect the strength of the nation.
The report acknowledges Trump's initial response to the COVID-19 pandemic, which included widespread telework and remote work. However, it notes that Trump quickly moved to return federal employees to their offices to ensure efficient service delivery to the American people.