Washington: So, President Trump just dropped an executive order saying federal employees need to head back to the office full-time. It’s got everyone buzzing about what that really means for them.
The order says that heads of departments need to end remote work and get folks back in their offices. But there’s a catch—exemptions can be made if needed.
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Trump’s Executive Order Regarding In-Person Work: Implications for Federal Employees
People are chatting online about how this order doesn’t really consider some important factors. For instance, there’s a law from 2010 called the Telework Enhancement Act that allows employees to negotiate for telework. Plus, many federal workers with disabilities rely on telework as a reasonable accommodation.
Some workers pointed out that the order talks about “remote” work, which isn’t the same as telework. Remote work usually means you can work from anywhere, while telework is more about having a flexible schedule but still being close to the office.
Tom Temin, a host on the Federal News Network, thinks the order was meant to address telework, but employees are hoping the wording gives them a way out. He also mentioned that office space could be a problem since many buildings have been downsized since the pandemic.
He noted that the General Services Administration has cut down from three buildings to just one, and it’s all about hoteling now. So, it’s not like everyone can just rush back to the office right away.
Temin believes it won’t be an immediate change. There are too many factors at play.
Interestingly, this move aligns with DC Mayor Muriel Bowser’s efforts to bring government workers back to the office to help revitalize downtown. She’s optimistic about working together with Trump on this.
In his first days, Trump has also issued other orders affecting the federal workforce, including a hiring freeze and plans to put Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion employees on paid leave. It looks like there’s more to come that could impact federal workers in the DC area.