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Back to Work Act
2/11/2025, 5:08 AM
Summary of Bill HR 357
The primary purpose of this legislation is to address concerns about the potential negative impacts of widespread teleworking on productivity, communication, and collaboration within federal agencies. Proponents of the bill argue that in-person interactions are essential for effective teamwork and decision-making, and that excessive teleworking may hinder the ability of federal employees to fulfill their duties effectively.
If passed, the bill would establish specific limitations on federal teleworking, including restrictions on the number of days per week or month that employees can work remotely, as well as requirements for regular in-person meetings and check-ins. The bill also includes provisions for monitoring and enforcing compliance with these limitations. Opponents of the bill argue that teleworking has become an essential and valuable tool for federal employees, allowing for increased flexibility, work-life balance, and productivity. They argue that imposing strict limitations on teleworking could have negative consequences for employee morale, retention, and overall job satisfaction. Overall, Bill 119 HR 357 represents a contentious issue within the federal government, with supporters and opponents offering differing perspectives on the potential benefits and drawbacks of limiting teleworking for federal employees. The bill is currently under consideration in Congress, and its ultimate fate will depend on the outcome of legislative debates and negotiations.
Congressional Summary of HR 357
Back to Work Act
This bill limits federal agency employees' telework to up to 40% of the work days in any pay period and eliminates certain pay increases for teleworking employees.
Under current law, executive agencies must maintain policies detailing how their employees may work remotely and enter into telework agreements with participating employees. The bill requires telework agreements to cap employees' telework at 40% of the work days in a pay period, specify that the agency will monitor employees' telework via remote technical methods, and make telework subject to annual review by the agency. The bill also eliminates locality-based and automatic annual pay adjustments for employees with telework agreements.
The bill authorizes agencies to further restrict the amount of telework permitted based on an employee's specific role or other circumstances (e.g., working with classified information). Agencies may also waive the limitation for inclement weather or exigent circumstances or for an employee who (1) is married to a member of the Armed Forces or federal law enforcement officer; (2) holds a position requiring highly specialized experience or frequent travel; or (3) holds a position that is difficult to fill.
Additionally, the bill requires annual agency reports to Congress describing the effectiveness of agency telework policies. The Government Accountability Office must evaluate the accuracy and thoroughness of each report in an accompanying report to Congress.
