President Trump issued a “Return to In-Person Work” executive order eliminating telework for most federal employees on day one of his second term. Nevertheless, on June 17 the Government Accountability Office (GAO) published a report and recommendations urging the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) to issue new guidance for agencies offering remote work.

As of June 2024, approximately 200,000 feds – around nine percent of the federal workforce – worked remotely across the country. GAO notes OPM canceled its August 2024 guidance that agencies assess remote work’s “effects on their mission, recruitment and retention, making it less likely agencies will understand its effects on outcomes and operations.”

While President Trump’s return-to-office mandate applies to most feds, subsequent guidance allows remote work in some circumstances. Therefore, in its conclusion, GAO recommends “OPM issue guidance for agencies to assess benefits and costs when offering remote work, including its effects on agency outcomes, recruitment and retention, and operational costs.”

GAO states OPM “partially concurred” with the recommendation. OPM indicated it plans to issue further data calls to “measure the benefits and costs when offering remote work positions” for remaining remote workers.