Government employees in the U.S. who are currently working remotely will be required to return to the office or face the possibility of being placed on administrative leave. Elon Musk has informed all workers to start working from the office this week, as it has already been a month since President Donald Trump issued an executive order mandating the return to in-person work.
Trump directed all heads of federal agencies to ensure that remote workers return to their physical offices, effectively ending the flexibility of remote work. The Office of Management and Budget has exempted employees with valid reasons, disabilities, or medical conditions from this mandate. According to the Office of Personnel Management (OPM), which collaborates with Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), approximately 10 percent of U.S. federal employees who qualify for these exemptions are still working remotely full-time.
Federal employees have been unsettled by an email sent by Musk’s team, requesting them to submit a report with five bullet points outlining the tasks they accomplished over the previous week. The email stated that failure to respond within 48 hours, specifically by Monday, February 24, could result in job loss.
This email was widely criticized for its perceived lack of respect. Some agency heads even urged their employees not to respond to it, assuring them that their jobs would not be at risk.
