The transition back to the office for federal employees is proving to be a challenging process, according to several staff members.
Upon his return to the presidency, Donald Trump quickly mandated that all government employees resume full-time office work, effectively ending the remote working arrangements that had become prevalent during and after the pandemic.
The White House issued a statement on the day of Trump’s inauguration stating: “Heads of all departments and agencies in the executive branch of Government shall, as soon as practicable, take all necessary steps to terminate remote work arrangements and require employees to return to work in-person at their respective duty stations on a full-time basis, provided that the department and agency heads shall make exemptions they deem necessary.”
The deadline for returning to the office was set for March 10.
As this directive was enforced across various departments, employees reportedly encountered less-than-ideal working environments.
One federal employee, speaking to NPR, expressed relief at having a designated workspace, noting, “At least I have a desk. Many of my team members have been in classrooms and auditoriums or had to move desks multiple times. Some were assigned to secure areas that they can’t access,” said an employee from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS).
According to USA Today, some employees returned to offices that had been largely unoccupied, only to find them plagued with issues such as cockroach and rat infestations, blocked toilets, and trash that hadn’t been cleared.
An employee from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) commented on the lack of space for all returning workers.
In a conversation with NPR, they detailed the situation: “There are all the small indignities of being in a facility never equipped for this many people: toilet paper and paper towels running out immediately, very long lines at the cafeteria, loud noise, people working in hallways.”
There is speculation that these challenging work conditions could be part of a strategic plan by Trump, along with the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) led by Elon Musk, to reduce the number of federal employees.
Trump has hinted at this intention, stating, “We think a very substantial number of people will not show up to work, and therefore our government will get smaller and more efficient,” according to The New York Times.
Prior to the office return, a significant number of employees were let go, with estimates suggesting that 30,000 people had been dismissed by late February.
An FAA representative said: “In compliance with the Presidential Memorandum (PM) Return to In-Person Work, the FAA is committed to safely and efficiently bringing our employees back to in-person work to better uphold our core safety mission. We are working with employees to ensure they have the workspace needed as we go through this period of adjustment.”