White House urges federal agencies to find a telework and in-office work balance

The White House has issued new guidance to federal agencies on their return-to-office and telework policies, calling on them to strike a balance between adding in-person work where necessary, while still maintaining telework flexibilities. Agencies are expected to increase “meaningful” in-person work at federal offices, especially at headquarters offices, while continuing to use more flexible policies on employees’ work locations and maintaining telework arrangements where they make sense. The guidance comes one year after agencies started executing office re-entry plans last spring and just days after President Joe Biden signed a Republican-backed congressional resolution to end the COVID-19 national emergency.