Pursuant to the Utilizing Space Efficiently and Improving Technologies (USE IT) Act and an April Memo from the Office of Management and Budget, the Trump Administration is working to track daily and annual federal office building occupancy.

The Trump Administration is committed to efficient use of taxpayer dollars, and will shrink the federal real estate footprint to eliminate unused and wasteful federal office space,” reads the memo. “This memorandum lays out standardized technologies, approaches, and methodologies for federal agencies' collecting and reporting occupancy and building use data in alignment” with the USE IT Act.

Agencies were required to begin utilization monitoring “at public buildings and federally leased space where the federal agency occupies space” no later than May 4, and have until July 4^th to fully implement their system.

While agencies can choose between different occupancy measurement technologies, each one is required to identify a daily summary of occupancy totals from Sunday through Saturday and the average occupancy of a space over a 2-week period.

This is part of President Trump’s broader effort begun with his Return to Office executive order eliminating remote work arrangements and requiring federal employees to return to work in-person at their respective duty stations on a full-time basis.

While unused space in federal buildings is driving this action, some FMA members have noted the opposite – not enough space – is the problem at their installations. We have been informed of instances of employees working in conference rooms and hallways to perform their work duties.

FMA will monitor agency occupancy reporting and will assist our members however possible in advocating for proper and acceptable work conditions.