Congressional Republicans from the House Oversight Committee initiate their session with verbal attacks against remote work policies and labor unions.
The Social Security Administration (SSA) has found itself at the centre of a heated debate over telework policies, with lawmakers and union leaders questioning the concessions made in the latest union contract.
Rep. Glenn Grothman and Chairman James Comer, both Republicans, have expressed concerns about the language in the contract that allows SSA management to change or terminate telework agreements for operational needs. This comes as the SSA has seen a significant shift in work patterns, with around 80% of all federal work hours being carried out in-person.
Despite this, federal workers who engage in telework still spend an average of 61.2% of their work hours in-person, according to data from the SSA. The agency's management has the power to temporarily suspend the use of telework, but not eliminate it entirely.
However, the SSA's telework policy has proven to be beneficial, with a 6% increase in productivity in 2024 and the successful implementation of virtual options for ALJ hearings for disability claimants, previously all in-person. In fact, the SSA has seen a significant increase in productivity compared to 2012, a claim made by Social Security Commissioner Martin O'Malley.
O'Malley emphasised that everything he did at SSA was aimed at improving customer service, a claim supported by the fact that the agency has managed to maintain operations despite staffing levels falling to 50-year lows.
The union representing SSA employees, the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE), has acknowledged potential risks of complaints related to telework, but has committed to addressing and managing such complaints effectively. This comes after O'Malley gave up potential exposure of $10 to $20 million due to unresolved grievances.
Not everyone is supportive of the SSA's telework policies, however. GOP lawmakers on the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee have criticised telework and unions at federal agencies, with Comer accusing Biden administration officials of allowing federal workers to shirk their duties due to telework. Comer also claimed that federal agency office headquarters are mostly empty due to the Biden administration's failure to end pandemic-era telework.
Even potential heads of the president-elect's forthcoming government efficiency commission, Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy, have suggested canceling telework en masse to encourage federal workers to quit their jobs.
The debate over telework at the SSA is far from over, with both sides presenting compelling arguments. As the SSA continues to navigate this complex issue, it remains to be seen how the future of telework will unfold within the agency.
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