By Brittney Sherman
In 2020, the rate of federal employees working from home jumped 34 percent resulting in underutilized federal office space particularly in California, Florida, Washington, D.C., and Texas. Legislation putting an end to the pandemic work-from-home option for federal agency employees was passed by the House on February 1. If made into law, federal agencies will have 30-days to return to pre-pandemic telework guidelines which offered little if any remote work options. Once pre-pandemic policies are reinstated, federal agencies are required to submit a report detailing the cost of underutilized office space and the number of employees who relocated out of the country to telework. The hope is that the return of federal employees to the office will support surrounding businesses and increase sales tax revenues, however the “Show Up Act” faces a room full of critics as it enters the Senate.