In a decisive first-week move, President Donald Trump signed an executive order forcing federal employees back to their offices, putting an end to the telework free-for-all that’s been dragging on since COVID-19. Unsurprisingly, government workers are melting down on social media, proving once again how out of touch they are with the real world.
Why It Matters
The federal government’s “return to office” (RTO) policy will impact over 3 million government employees who have been enjoying the cushy benefits of remote work. With Trump’s order, these workers will have to do what the rest of America already does—show up to work in person.
What To Know
Trump’s executive order, signed on January 20, mandates that heads of all federal agencies take the “necessary steps” to end remote work and require employees to report to their duty stations full-time. While agency heads can grant exemptions where they see fit, the White House has been clear: it’s time for bureaucrats to get back to business.
The order marks a major shift from the Biden-era policies that coddled government employees with generous telework arrangements, even as private-sector workers returned to the office long ago. The response? Pure panic. Reddit threads and Twitter posts from self-identified federal workers are filled with complaints about commuting, doctor’s appointments, and childcare.
Translation: They don’t want to do what the rest of working America does every day.
Who Has to Show Up?
The order applies across the board, but specific agency implementation remains unclear. According to May 2024 data, around 10% of federal civilian employees (approximately 228,000 workers) were fully remote. Another Pew Research Center survey found that 75% of eligible workers across industries were still taking advantage of hybrid or remote options.
What Leaders Are Saying
Trump addressed the issue head-on, stating, “If people don’t come back to work, come back into the office, they’re going to be dismissed.” Elon Musk echoed the sentiment on X (formerly Twitter), adding, “It’s not fair that most people have to come to work to build products or provide services while Federal Government employees get to stay home.”
But, of course, the big-government unions aren’t happy. Everett Kelley, president of the American Federation of Government Employees, predictably complained, claiming that RTO policies “undo decades of progress” in workplace flexibility. Translation: Government workers might have to be held accountable.
The Future of WFH
Critics of the order are already warning of mass resignations and recruitment struggles, as if working a normal office job is some kind of punishment. The reality? The private sector adapted long ago, and now it’s time for the federal government to do the same. With millions of hardworking Americans showing up to work daily, why should bureaucrats be any different?
The Trump administration is simply setting the standard: If you want to work for the American people, you actually have to show up. And if that’s too much to handle, maybe Washington wasn’t the right place for you after all.
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