Agencies Ordered to Submit Plans for In-Office Return, as Trump Administration Orders Feds Back into the Office

President Trump ordered all federal employees to return to the office full-time. Now, agencies are trying to figure out how to put that order into practice.  

The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) is giving agencies until February 7, 2025, to submit their plans for an office return to OPM and the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). 

The plan should describe an agency’s approach to getting workers back to a physical office, as well as “overcoming any constraints in achieving full compliance.”

“You have to show up to work. You have to go to your office and work. Otherwise you’re not going to have a job,” said President Trump.

Implementation plans are required to do the following:

·      Describe the steps agencies will take to refine telework agreements. 

·      Provide timelines for the return of all eligible employees to in-person work as “expeditiously as possible” including date of compliance with the order.

·      Describe steps agencies will take to bring Collective Bargaining Agreements (CBAs) into compliance with the presidents’ orders, consistent with applicable laws.

·      Describe steps agencies will take to determine a permanent workplace for employees who telework or work remotely.

·      Identify any barriers to getting workers back to the office.

·      Describe the agency’s process for determining exceptions.

If a federal employee lives near an agency office, they will be expected to return to in-office work sooner than those who live at least 50 miles from an agency office. Those who live further away will see a phased-in return to the nearest applicable agency location.

Agencies must also utilize existing federal government office space first and are urged to sit employees with similar job functions together to encourage collaboration.

While employee groups and others have expressed their resistance, noting that telework can help improve morale and make the federal government a more attractive place to work, the Trump Administration is standing firm.

“The only way to get employees back to the office is to adopt a centralized policy requiring return-to-work for all agencies across the federal government. Seeking to cajole individual agencies to try to get employees to return to the worksite has not succeeded,” said OPM in an earlier memo.  

That did not sit well with telework advocates, including Senate Minority Chuck Schumer (D-NY).

"To just take a blanket brush across and say, 'Get rid of telework,' is going to hurt millions and millions of Americans who depend on these people doing their jobs," said Senator Schumer. 

Return Timeline

As for the timeline for the return, OPM recommends that agencies set a target date of approximately 30 days for full compliance with the order, subject to any exclusions granted by the agency and any collective bargaining obligations.

Some agencies like the General Services Administration (GSA) indicated that the 30-day goal is achievable. GSA is setting up a task force to help expedite the return to office process.

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is requiring workers to be back within 30 days, while the State Department is giving workers until March 1 before canceling all telework. 

Only employees with disability, qualifying medical condition or other compelling reasons certified by the agency head are not considered covered by the directive.

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