As President-elect Donald Trump’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) prepares to overhaul federal workforce policies, the Social Security Administration (SSA) and its union have finalized a deal to preserve telework arrangements for tens of thousands of employees until late 2029. This agreement underscores the growing tension between federal employees’ work arrangements and DOGE’s agenda to reduce the government workforce.
Table of Contents
Telework Deal Secured Through 2029
The agreement, signed just before SSA Commissioner Martin O’Malley stepped down, solidifies telework policies for 42,000 members of the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE), who make up a significant portion of the SSA’s nearly 60,000 employees. The deal retains preexisting telework arrangements without expanding them, ensuring that eligible employees continue to work remotely for a portion of the week.
Depending on their role, SSA employees are required to report to the office between two and five days weekly, balancing in-person responsibilities with remote work. This agreement aims to support SSA’s staffing levels by reducing attrition and maintaining its ability to serve the public effectively, according to Rich Couture, AFGE Council 215 spokesperson.
DOGE’s Vision: Reducing the Federal Workforce
In contrast to SSA’s telework deal, DOGE, led by Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy, is championing a strict return-to-office policy for federal workers. The initiative, which aims to cut federal spending by reducing the workforce, includes measures to end telecommuting privileges for most federal employees.
“Federal employees unwilling to return to the office are free to resign. Taxpayers shouldn’t fund the COVID-era luxury of working from home,” Musk and Ramaswamy argued in a Wall Street Journal op-ed.
DOGE’s return-to-office push could result in significant workforce reductions, as employees unwilling to comply might voluntarily leave their positions. The initiative is set to be discussed with Republican lawmakers on Capitol Hill, with some Democrats reportedly expressing tentative support for the effort.
Trump’s Tax Plan and Social Security: Relief or Risk?
Social Security Shake-Up: Major Changes Coming in 2025 — Are You Affected?
Big News for Retirees and Seniors: Bigger Social Security Checks Are Coming in January!
Social Security Shakeup: Fairness Act Could Transform Benefits for Millions – Here’s What’s at Stake
Federal Workforce at a Glance
The federal government employs approximately 2.3 million civilians, with around half working fully in person due to the nature of their jobs. The remainder are eligible for telework, and about 10% of the total workforce holds fully remote positions.
Under the Biden administration, the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) had already initiated a push to increase in-person work hours for telework-eligible employees. Currently, eligible federal employees spend an average of 61% of their working hours in the office, excluding fully remote positions.
Union Protection vs. DOGE’s Agenda
The new telework agreement highlights the challenge DOGE faces in implementing sweeping changes to federal work policies. For unionized workers like those at the SSA, telework arrangements are protected by collective bargaining agreements, making unilateral changes nearly impossible without extensive negotiations.
The SSA spokeswoman clarified that the recent deal with AFGE only formalized existing policies, reinforcing a commitment to balancing operational efficiency with employee flexibility.
What’s Next?
As DOGE prepares to reshape the federal workforce, the SSA’s agreement with AFGE serves as a test case for how unions may resist significant rollbacks of telework privileges. With Trump’s administration aiming to cut costs and reduce the size of the federal government, the stage is set for a high-stakes debate over the future of work in public service.
For now, SSA employees can rest assured their telework arrangements are secure through 2029, but the broader battle over federal work policies is just beginning.
Leave a Reply