Comer: Biden Administration’s Telework Policy is “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell”

WASHINGTON—House Committee on Oversight and Accountability Chairman James Comer (R-Ky.) issued the following statement on the Office of Management and Budget’s (OMB) newly released memorandum that contains vague guidance on getting the federal workforce back to the workplace and subsequent staff briefing with the agency:

“House Republicans have pressured the Biden Administration to address the issue of prolonged pandemic-era telework and it is finally discussing it. However, OMB managed to issue a 19-page memo that shed virtually no light on when federal employees are returning to their offices – or under what conditions continued elevated levels of telework may be warranted. Based on today’s briefing with OMB, ‘don’t ask, don’t tell’ is the best way to characterize the Biden Administration’s telework policy. OMB isn’t asking agencies how many employees are currently working in-person and the agencies aren’t telling them. The OPM director also recently testified before the House Oversight Committee and repeatedly could not answer how many federal employees are working in-person. 

“Since the Biden Administration refuses to discover the number of federal employees teleworking, the Oversight Committee plans to do their work for them. We will soon contact federal agencies about how many federal workers continue pandemic-era telework. It’s essential the federal workforce get back to the workplace and provide better service to the American people.”

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