WASHINGTON, D.C. - A report from Republican Senator Joni Ernst (R-IA) revealed that only six percent of the U.S. federal workforce actually “report in-person on a full-time basis” to their respective offices. Ernst's office said almost a third of all federal workers are remote employees on a full-time basis, with ninety percent presently able to telework.
According to the report, Ernst’s staff's new findings indicate a significant departure from the federal government’s pre-COVID lockdown stance on remote work, in which a mere three percent of employees were permitted to telecommute.
“For years, I have been tracking down bureaucrats relaxing in bubble baths, playing golf, getting arrested, and doing just about everything besides their job,” Ernst said in a press release. “It would almost be funny if it wasn’t happening on the taxpayers’ dime and at the expense of veterans, seniors, small business owners, and Americans in need of competent service from government agencies. Federal employees need to return to work, but if they don’t want to, I will make their wish come true.”
Ernst’s full report, aptly entitled, “Out of Office, Bureaucrats on the Beach and in bubble baths but not in office buildings,” offers a thorough excoriation of the current policies allowing federal employees to work remotely. It stated, “Bureaucrats have been found in a bubble bath, on the golf course, running their own business, and even getting busted doing crime while on taxpayers’ time. Members of President Biden’s own cabinet claimed to be on the clock while being out of office and unreachable.”
The Senator’s staff added that the results of this policy are “service backlogs and delays, unanswered phone calls and emails, and no-show appointments,” adding that they are “harming the health, lives, and aspirations of Americans.”
“Thousands of calls from veterans seeking mental health care go unanswered. Remote work may be partly responsible for the recent baby formula crisis. Small businesses, students, and other taxpayers seeking assistance are instead getting sent to voicemail.”
Stunningly, Ernst found and published to X, that as many as 23-68% of federal bureaucrats who claim to be living and working in areas with higher costs of living and therefore higher pay scales are living elsewhere more affordably. Thus they’re illegitimately receiving “locality” pay, boosting their salaries.
In extreme examples, the report stated that some employees were found to be doing this while living 2,000 miles from their offices and at least one “temporary” teleworker did so for almost a decade.
According to the report, Ernst’s staff's new findings indicate a significant departure from the federal government’s pre-COVID lockdown stance on remote work, in which a mere three percent of employees were permitted to telecommute.
“For years, I have been tracking down bureaucrats relaxing in bubble baths, playing golf, getting arrested, and doing just about everything besides their job,” Ernst said in a press release. “It would almost be funny if it wasn’t happening on the taxpayers’ dime and at the expense of veterans, seniors, small business owners, and Americans in need of competent service from government agencies. Federal employees need to return to work, but if they don’t want to, I will make their wish come true.”
Bureaucrats decided they would move to areas with lower pay rates, some as far as 2,000 miles from their office, but still claim to be in their original location to incorrectly receive a higher paycheck.
— Joni Ernst (@SenJoniErnst) December 5, 2024
Ernst’s full report, aptly entitled, “Out of Office, Bureaucrats on the Beach and in bubble baths but not in office buildings,” offers a thorough excoriation of the current policies allowing federal employees to work remotely. It stated, “Bureaucrats have been found in a bubble bath, on the golf course, running their own business, and even getting busted doing crime while on taxpayers’ time. Members of President Biden’s own cabinet claimed to be on the clock while being out of office and unreachable.”
The Senator’s staff added that the results of this policy are “service backlogs and delays, unanswered phone calls and emails, and no-show appointments,” adding that they are “harming the health, lives, and aspirations of Americans.”
“Thousands of calls from veterans seeking mental health care go unanswered. Remote work may be partly responsible for the recent baby formula crisis. Small businesses, students, and other taxpayers seeking assistance are instead getting sent to voicemail.”
Stunningly, Ernst found and published to X, that as many as 23-68% of federal bureaucrats who claim to be living and working in areas with higher costs of living and therefore higher pay scales are living elsewhere more affordably. Thus they’re illegitimately receiving “locality” pay, boosting their salaries.
In extreme examples, the report stated that some employees were found to be doing this while living 2,000 miles from their offices and at least one “temporary” teleworker did so for almost a decade.
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