Trump orders federal workers back to office full-time


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President Donald Trump took decisive action on Monday by signing an executive order mandating federal employees to resume full-time in-person work, a decision that’s expected to face opposition and potential legal action from labor unions.

The executive order requires agency heads to eliminate remote work arrangements and ensure employees return to their designated workplaces full-time. The brief directive specifies that implementation must align with existing laws.

The scope of Trump’s authority to restrict remote work varies. While he maintains significant control over non-unionized federal workers, including supervisors and managers who can be quickly recalled to offices, his power is limited regarding unionized employees. Approximately 26% of federal workers belong to unions, with many protected by collective bargaining agreements that permit remote or hybrid work arrangements. These agreements must either expire naturally or undergo renegotiation before changes can be implemented.

Collective bargaining agreements between federal agencies and unions can only face legal challenges if they contain unlawful provisions or resulted from misconduct such as coercion or bribery. Additionally, federal agencies may need to continue allowing remote work for employees with disabilities, as federal law mandates reasonable workplace accommodations for those with chronic health conditions who can perform their duties.

While the Trump administration claimed that only 6% of federal employees currently work in person, official government statistics paint a different picture. According to an August report from the White House Office of Management and Budget, roughly 46% of federal workers (1.1 million people) qualify for remote work, with 228,000 working entirely remotely. The Departments of Defense, Veterans Affairs, and Health and Human Services employ the highest numbers of remote workers. Among eligible employees, approximately 61% of regular working hours are spent at physical workplaces, excluding fully remote staff.

The order may serve a dual purpose of encouraging federal worker resignations to create openings for political appointees. Elon Musk, who heads Trump’s Department of Government Efficiency, expressed opposition to federal telework in a Wall Street Journal opinion piece.

“Requiring federal employees to come to the office five days a week would result in a wave of voluntary terminations that we welcome,” Musk wrote.

While the president possesses broad authority to terminate non-union workers for cause, including defiance of return-to-office mandates, the process involves specific requirements. Workers must receive 30-day advance written notice explaining their termination and have an opportunity to respond. Terminated employees can appeal to the Merit Systems Protection Board, a three-member presidential appointee panel, seeking reinstatement. They may contest their firing by arguing lack of cause, procedural violations, due process infringement, or discrimination. The board’s decisions are binding unless overturned by a federal appeals court.

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