An Executive Order Provides For Common Sense

At the beginning of COVID in late 2020, early 2021, most companies and government agencies made accommodations to allow remote access to jobs and schools, etc. Kids learned from home on the computer, business meetings were conducted on Zoom or Meet, and remote access was given to employees to company mainframes and networks.

 

But now, almost five years later, most entities realize that this is not necessary since the pandemic is done. So Chase, Amazon, Walmart and others have now issued “return to full time office” requirements, giving reasonable return dates for employees to be in compliance. Failure to do so may jeopardize future employment.

Prior to leaving office, former President Biden issued an executive order granting Federal employees until 2029 to return to the office. As you know, as part of the flurry of EO's President Trump issued, that order was canceled, and directed, instead, for all Federal/Executive departments to follow the updated EO, as reported by Fox Business and other media sources.

"Heads of all departments and agencies in the executive branch of Government shall, as soon as practicable, take all necessary steps to terminate remote work arrangements and require employees to return to work in-person at their respective duty stations on a full-time basis, provided that the department and agency heads shall make exemptions they deem necessary," the order reads.

Agencies must begin the move to fully in-person work by 5 p.m. on Friday, the order stated.

One of those initiatives was ending remote work and viewing the requirement that federal workers return to the office as a way of spurring voluntary layoffs. Why should the taxpayers foot the bill for those who have enjoyed this benefit long after almost everyone else has returned to their jobs to work in person?

And, so many others snickered as they bragged about being “coffee-badgers”, those who punched in via their badge or other method to be seen by other employees and then just go home? It doesn’t seem right, does it?

So, if an employee does not return to work by the required date, they will have been considered to have resigned, with no further obligation to pay additional benefits by the government.

Obviously, there are some who are wringing their hands about this order. And surely, they will try to stop it via a court order. But they will lose.  Then, they should be forced to pay all legal fees to give restitution to the government. And the taxpayers.

But ultimately, the working of government for the people is now being restored because a President has used common sense.