Should Congress require government workers to return in-person for work?
This bill requires executive agencies to submit reports to Congress studying the impact of remote work and telework of employees during the COVID-19 pandemic. Agencies are also required to provide plans for the future work structure and organizations of agencies going forward. In addition, the bill seeks to reinstate pre-COVID-19 policies for in-person work.
Sponsor: Rep. James Comer (Republican, Kentucky, District 1)
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Opponents say
• "Federal employee unions and many Democrats in Congress blame under-funding of those agencies rather than offsite work policies, and cite surveys in which employees say they and their work units are more productive. There has been no comprehensive study of telework’s effect on agency productivity nor of the extent to which employees are receiving higher locality pay than their actual work location would merit." Source: Fedweek
• "At a time when agencies across government are struggling to hire and retain a new generation of government employees - Congress should be focused on improving pay, benefits, and career development opportunities. Instead, we see message bills like the SHOW UP Act that denigrate the federal workforce and undermine recruitment and retention." Source: Everett Kelly, AFGE National President
Proponents say
• "For years, Americans have suffered from the federal government’s detrimental pandemic-era telework policies for federal bureaucrats. President Biden’s unnecessary expansion of telework crippled the ability of departments and agencies to fulfill their responsibilities and created cumbersome backlogs. The federal government exists to serve the American people and these substantial delays for basic services are unacceptable. As Chairman of the House Committee on Oversight and Accountability, I intend to advance commonsense legislation to guarantee federal agencies are meeting their missions. I am proud to introduce the SHOW UP Act, which will ensure the federal workforce returns to the office. In addition, I am also seeking information from the GSA regarding reports indicating Administrator Carnahan was routinely absent from her Washington office. Biden Administration officials must lead by example and work in person for the American people." Source: Rep. James Comer (Republican, Kentucky, District 1)
• "Committee Republicans have received whistleblower reports revealing the GSA Administrator spent most of her time working in a location other than Washington D.C. Chairman Comer is calling on Administrator Carnahan to provide information to determine whether these reports are accurate, and if so, understand the reason behind the routine absences. The federal government’s expansion of telework during the pandemic has delayed critical assistance to veterans, tax refunds, passport applications, and other basic services. The SHOW UP Act will require federal agencies to return to their pre-pandemic telework policies so that employees will be in-person. The bill also requires federal agencies to complete and submit to Congress studies detailing how pandemic-era telework levels impacted their missions." Source: oversight.house.gov
- Comer Takes Action to Require Federal Workforce to Return to the Office (Press Release)
- Downtown D.C.’s Struggles Mount as Many Worker Remain Remote (Washington Post)
- Remote Work: Transitioning from a Social Distancing Measure to a Human Capital Strategy (Government Executive)
- Future of Work Part 2: Stop Forcing Employees Back to the Office (Forbes)
- Hawai’i economist: Working from home likely to remain for post-pandemic Aloha State (Maui Now)
- Legislation Reintroduced to Slash Telework Flexibilities for Federal Employees (FedSmith)
