The American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) is pushing back against Republican criticisms of remote work among federal employees. As the incoming Trump administration takes hold, the GOP is challenging work-from-home policies implemented during the COVID-19 pandemic. Senator Marsha Blackburn recently announced a series of bills aimed at increasing accountability for taxpayer dollars, including one requiring federal agencies to report on the effects of expanded telework.

Senator Joni Ernst, chair of the Department of Government Efficiency caucus, has also proposed methods to reduce remote work, such as linking productivity to work-from-home eligibility. The AFGE, representing approximately 800,000 civil servants, argues that these efforts unfairly target federal workers and could lead to privatization of public sector jobs.

The AFGE released a statement refuting what they call exaggerated claims about telework abuse by GOP politicians. They emphasized the importance of fact-based decision-making and addressed several "myths" about federal telework, many originating from Senator Ernst's report. One such claim is that nearly one-third of federal employees work entirely remotely. The AFGE cites an Office of Management and Budget report stating that only 10% of federal civilian workers hold fully remote positions.

The union also disputed Senator Ernst's assertions regarding telework eligibility and daily office attendance. They argue that less than half of federal workers are eligible for telework, and over half are required to be on-site daily. Senator Ernst responded by questioning the overall work attendance of federal employees and encouraged the tracking of their productivity. She plans to release further information on work-from-home practices.

The AFGE also addressed claims made by Elon Musk, Vivek Ramaswamy, and Russell Vought regarding the percentage of federal workers physically present in the office. They challenged a claim suggesting that, excluding personnel with on-site duties, only about 1% of federal workers are in the office for a full 40-hour week. A source familiar with the data used in Ernst's report countered that the AFGE's figures are selective, as they include employees whose roles necessitate on-site presence.

The AFGE recently reached an agreement with the Social Security Administration to maintain current telework levels through 2029, impacting approximately 42,000 workers. This agreement aims to safeguard remote work options for the next five years. The AFGE maintains that telework and remote work enhance productivity, operational continuity, disaster preparedness, and talent acquisition and retention, and they advocate for continued discussion based on factual information.