Joni Ernst Tells Federal Employees Working Remotely: ‘Vacation’ Is Over

Federal employees must return to the office under new White House guidance, and Sen. Joni Ernst of Iowa believes it’s time to end what she calls a “vacation” for teleworkers. She argues that federal offices have been paying employees who are not truly putting in full work hours while at home.

Key Facts:

  • President Donald Trump signed an executive order instructing federal agencies to end telework arrangements.
  • Sen. Joni Ernst stated that many employees “abused” remote work policies introduced during the pandemic.
  • A recent House Oversight Committee report shows that out of 2.28 million federal workers, 228,000 never have to come in, while 1.1 million can telework.
  • Ernst cited the Veterans Affairs department as an example, claiming backlogs and unanswered calls are a result of limited in-office presence.
  • Federal agencies have 30 days to finalize their return-to-office plans.

The Rest of The Story:

Much of this debate centers on the idea that federal offices are still footing the bill for empty workspaces while employees remain off-site.

Ernst has been vocal, pointing to incidents such as a VA worker allegedly attending a virtual meeting from a bathtub, suggesting that some workers are not taking their duties seriously.

In an upcoming episode of podcast “Standpoint with Gabe Groisman,” Ernst said that federal employees have “abused” telework policies established during the COVID-19 pandemic. She also claimed it is one of the federal government’s “biggest areas of waste.”

The new executive order reverses pandemic-era policies that allowed widespread teleworking for federal employees.

While some federal workers argue remote setups have improved their productivity, Ernst and other critics think performance has declined, particularly in agencies like the VA.

Agencies now have a set timeline to bring their people back. According to the House Oversight Committee’s data, a large number of employees will transition to full-time in-office work.

Commentary:

Working from home can be tempting for many people, but it can also be distracting. Some individuals need the structure and accountability that only an office environment provides.

When people are left to their own devices, there’s a risk they might do less work, especially if no one is there to check on them.

Taxpayers continue to pay for federal office space that stays empty. At the same time, many employees may not be putting in a full day’s work from home.

It’s time to streamline the workforce. Agencies should bring back those whose roles must be done in-person and adjust their real estate needs accordingly.

The Bottom Line:

The federal government is pushing to end remote work, with officials like Sen. Ernst emphasizing concerns over wasted resources.

How agencies respond may reshape both costs and productivity in the months ahead.

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