Bipartisan Bill Aims to Limit Telework in Federal Government, Requires Majority In-Person Work

The Back to Work Act, introduced by Sens. Mitt Romney and Joe Manchin, aims to bring federal employees back to the office by limiting telework usage to 40% of work days in any given pay period. The bipartisan bill would require federal workers to spend at least 60% of their work hours on in-person work, with exceptions for certain cases.

The legislation also includes provisions for agencies to review and reauthorize telework agreements annually, monitor employees’ work while teleworking, and provide Congress with reports on productivity and potential negative effects of telework. The bill could potentially ban remote work arrangements in most cases, as it does not codify the Office of Personnel Management’s remote work definition before capping telework usage.

While federal officials have praised remote work for improving geographic diversity and recruitment, Manchin believes that exclusively remote work hinders productivity and collaboration with citizens. He argues that local businesses are suffering from a lack of consumer traffic during work days, impacting local economies.

Romney emphasized the need for a federal workforce that is both present and productive, stating that Americans deserve a workforce that is efficient. The Back to Work Act aims to strike a balance between in-person work and telework, providing reasonable flexibility while ensuring federal employees are actively engaged in their duties.

As the debate over telework in the federal government continues, the Back to Work Act represents a significant step towards returning to pre-pandemic norms and fostering closer connections between federal employees and the citizens they serve.