By: Stephanie Rapp-Tully, Esq.
Recent legislation proposed by House Republicans has reignited the debate about teleworking’s role in the federal workforce. If this bill were to pass, it would force a significant number of government workers to return to traditional physical office settings.
The Stopping Home Office Work’s Unproductive Problems Act, also known as “SHOW UP,” would specifically require that all federal agencies return to their pre-pandemic office setups, effectively reducing the number of telework options currently accessible to federal employees.
While the debate over teleworking’s continued inclusion in regular federal working procedures is not surprising, what ramifications does this bill have for employees who have or are in the process of obtaining teleworking flexibilities or agreements? Is it possible for federal employees to continue working on increased telework if their agency begins to press them to return to in-person work?
As with any discussion on the influence of COVID-19 and the pandemic’s impact on government employees’ working circumstances, policies are frequently subject to rapid change. Employees must be informed of the current policies in place as well as their options in order to take advantage of these flexibilities while staying within agency guidelines.
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