In response to public employee unions rushing to lock in telework agreements through 2029 at the 11th hour of the Biden administration, U.S. Senator Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) demanded the heads of 24 federal agencies immediately suspend all negotiations of telework privileges.
After her report exposed that 90% of federal employees are eligible to telework, Senate DOGE Caucus Chair Ernst additionally requested the agency heads provide the amount of tax dollars being spent paying government employees to negotiate more telework, which was last calculated at $150 million in 2019.
“The union bosses are rushing to lock in last minute, lavish long-term deals with the lame duck Biden administration—extending beyond President Trump’s next term in office—guaranteeing that bureaucrats can stay at home for another four years… or longer! Apparently, protecting telework perks for public employees is a higher priority than showing up to serve American taxpayers,” wrote Ernst.
“These sweetheart deals need to stop immediately. I am calling on you to stop all collective bargaining or any other contractual arrangements related to telework for federal employees extending beyond the few weeks remaining in the Biden administration. Giving bureaucrats another four-year vacation from the office is unacceptable. Bureaucrats have had enough gap years—it’s time to get them back to work,” continued Ernst.
For attempting to secure another four-year staycation away from the office for federal employees, Senator Ernst is giving her December 2024 Squeal Award to government employee union bosses. She exposes waste, fraud, and abuse in her monthly award as part of her promise to make Washington “squeal.”
Click here to read the letters to federal agencies and here to read Senator Ernst’s Squeal Award.
