Referred to the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform.
The bill (Back to Work Act) would limit federal employee telework to no more than 40% of work days per pay period, require annual agency head approval and monitoring of telework, and allow agency heads to further limit or waive the cap for specified situations. It denies teleworking employees eligibility for pay adjustments under 5 U.S.C. §5303 and sets their locality pay to the "Rest of United States" rate, and requires annual agency reports on telework metrics with GAO review.
Progressives emphasize lost flexibility and privacy harms; conservatives emphasize accountability and security.
Relative to its intended legislative type, this bill is a clearly focused substantive policy change that amends title 5 to limit Federal telework, prescribes agency-level approval and monitoring responsibilities, defines several waiver categories, alters certain pay entitlements for teleworking employees, and establishes annual reporting with GAO review.
The bill (Back to Work Act) would limit federal employee telework to no more than 40% of work days per pay period, require annual agency head approval and monitoring of telework, and allow agency heads to further limit or waive the cap for specified situations.
It denies teleworking employees eligibility for pay adjustments under 5 U.S.C. §5303 and sets their locality pay to the "Rest of United States" rate, and requires annual agency reports on telework metrics with GAO review.
The amendments take effect 180 days after enactment.
Moderate, targeted changes increase House prospects but pay penalties, stakeholder opposition, and Senate barriers lower enactment chances.
Relative to its intended legislative type, this bill is a clearly focused substantive policy change that amends title 5 to limit Federal telework, prescribes agency-level approval and monitoring responsibilities, defines several waiver categories, alters certain pay entitlements for teleworking employees, and establishes annual reporting with GAO review. It is specific in statutory amendments and assigns responsibility and timelines, but it omits fiscal acknowledgements, detailed operational definitions for monitoring and productivity measurement, and transitional or labor-relations guidance.
Progressives emphasize lost flexibility and privacy harms; conservatives emphasize accountability and security.
These are examples from the analysis, not a ranked list of the most-affected groups.
Progressives emphasize lost flexibility and privacy harms; conservatives emphasize accountability and security.
Overall likely opposed.
The persona would view the bill as a rollback of workplace flexibility that could harm caregivers, people with disabilities, and telework-preferred employees.
They would welcome agency accountability for security if narrowly targeted, but see broad monitoring and pay penalties as punitive.
Mixed view.
The persona would appreciate clearer limits, agency flexibility, and required reporting, but worry about one-size-fits-all rules, pay impacts, and administrative burdens.
Likely supportive of evidence-based adjustments and tighter privacy safeguards before full implementation.
Generally supportive.
The persona would view the bill as restoring in-person accountability, reducing abuse of telework, and strengthening security.
They appreciate agency authority to tailor rules and the requirement for oversight and GAO review.
Reached or meaningfully advanced
Reached or meaningfully advanced
Still ahead
Still ahead
Still ahead
Moderate, targeted changes increase House prospects but pay penalties, stakeholder opposition, and Senate barriers lower enactment chances.
The bill has not accumulated any surfaced votes yet.
Progressives emphasize lost flexibility and privacy harms; conservatives emphasize accountability and security.
Moderate, targeted changes increase House prospects but pay penalties, stakeholder opposition, and Senate barriers lower enactment chances.
Relative to its intended legislative type, this bill is a clearly focused substantive policy change that amends title 5 to limit Federal telework, prescribes agency-level approval and monitoring responsibilities, define…
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