Lawmakers among Republican party in Congress propose numerous bills aimed at restricting remote work options
In the ongoing discourse surrounding the future of work, the 119th Congress is considering new restrictions on federal employee teleworking.
Senator Bill Cassidy, R-La., has reintroduced the Federal Employee Return to Work Act (S. 27), a proposal that was previously introduced but did not advance. This bill would bar federal employees who spend at least one day per week on telework from receiving locality pay based on their official work station location. Similarly, Rep. Dan Newhouse, R-Wash., has reintroduced the Federal Employee Return to Work Act (H.R. 236).
Meanwhile, Sen. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, has proposed the Requiring Effective Management and Oversight of Teleworking Employees Act (S. 21) and the Telework Reform Act (S. 3015). The Telework Reform Act aims to codify the Office of Personnel Management's definitions of telework and remote work, while the Requiring Effective Management and Oversight of Teleworking Employees Act requires agencies to measure login data and network traffic from teleworking employees to monitor usage.
Rep. Andy Biggs, R-Ariz., has reintroduced the Return to Work Act (H.R. 107), which would require federal agencies to revert their telework policies to those in place on Dec. 31, 2019. However, this bill has been previously introduced but failed to make it out of committee.
Senator James Lankford, R-Okla., has also reintroduced the Telework Reform Act (S. 3015). This bill proposes annual telework training for employees and new reporting requirements for agencies. Furthermore, it requires agencies to renew their telework and remote work agreements annually, including a review process for employees and supervisors.
Interestingly, Sen. Joni Ernst's legislation also pairs with two other bills aimed at helping relocate federal employees outside the National Capital Region.
Leaders from the president-elect's non-governmental commission, the Department of Government Efficiency, have previously cited telework practices as one of their identified targets. This suggests a broader push towards a return to office for federal employees.
It's important to note that these proposals do not apply to employees with a disability and a reasonable accommodation, Foreign Service members, federal law enforcement, or active duty Armed Service members.
The Federal Employee Locality Accountability in Retirement Act, proposed by Sen. Cassidy, would remove locality pay from annuity calculations under the Federal Employees Retirement System. This could potentially impact the retirement benefits of federal employees who work remotely.
These new proposals come as the Social Security Administration and AFGE reach a deal to lock in current telework levels until 2029, although this is a separate article and does not relate to the previously mentioned bills.
As the debate continues, it remains to be seen how these proposals will shape the future of federal employment and telework policies.
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