Rep. James Comer (R-Ky.) on Thursday reintroduced his measure requiring federal workers to return to the office, ending pandemic-era norms that allowed them to work remotely.
Comer, the House Oversight and Accountability chair, introduced the SHOW UP Act nearly two years ago, which passed in the House but was not approved by the Senate.
“The pandemic is long over and it’s past time for the federal workforce to show up to the office to better fulfill agencies’ missions and serve the American people,” Comer said in a statement announcing the release of the new bill and criticizing the Biden administration’s telework policies.
The bill would require federal agencies to reinstate more stringetn telework policies from 2019.
The Biden administration sought to lock in hybrid work protections in preparation of President-elect Trump’s second term. It would protect hybrid and telework until 2029 for many employees, namely in the Social Security Administration, and would “maintain current levels” of telework.
Comer’s bill would require federal agencies to reduce telework policies to their 2019 levels within 30 days and require them to submit retrospective studies to Congress within 6 months to detail how the hybrid models impacted their work.
Federal workers are bracing for Trump’s return to the White House and may be targeted by some policies.
Tech entrepreneurs Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy, who were tapped to lead Trump’s “Department of Government Efficiency,” have announced plans for “mass” federal layoffs.
