US FAA, DOT tell government teleworkers to boost in-person work

By David Shepardson

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration and U.S. Transportation Department said on Thursday they expect teleworking government employees to boost in-person work, part of the Biden administration’s return-to-office efforts.

The FAA said it expects agency employees who are regularly teleworking to be in offices at least three days per week. The FAA said in an email seen by Reuters it expects employees working remotely as of Oct. 9 to increase in-office presence to at least three days per week.

Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg separately told department employees in a video “we need to be around each other in-person more than we are now to ensure this department’s long-term success.”

The department said in an email to employees it expects teleworking employees to report in person to their official duty location a minimum of three days every two weeks starting Sept. 10 and a minimum of four days per pay period starting Dec. 3.

“We understand this will be a big transition for some, and there will certainly be an adjustment period. We commit to providing as much support as possible to employees as you navigate this change,” USDOT said in an employee email.

In April, the White House Office of Management and Budget in a memo first reported by Reuters asked federal agencies to revise workforce plans as it aims to “substantially increase meaningful in-person work in federal offices.”

President Joe Biden in May ended the three-year COVID-19 emergency. Many of the 2 million civilian federal employees began working remotely in March 2020 but about half were required to remain in-person throughout the pandemic.

Republican lawmakers have pressed federal agencies to require more government workers to return to offices.

Many of those offices are in the Washington, DC area.

In February, the House of Representatives passed legislation to mandate federal agencies to reinstate 2019 pre-pandemic telework policies, and require telework expansions be certified by the Office of Personnel Management as having a positive effect on an agency’s mission and costs.