Chairman of Federal Trade Commission, Andrew Ferguson, recently sent an internal memo stating that staff will need to return to working full-time in the office by March 3, contrary to the 80% of staff who work from home most of the week. This change comes as part of President Trump’s executive order for federal workers to return to the office.
The memo cited Trump’s campaign promise and the idea that telework had “undermined the rich and unique culture” of the FTC, making it difficult for new employees to learn and adapt. The memo also stated that the agency would abide by reasonable accommodations granted to employees, as well as collective bargaining obligations.
However, experts predict that the return to office mandate may lead to frustration and even termination among government employees. Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla and chairman of Trump’s government efficiency initiative, has said that revoking “the COVID-era privilege” of telework would trigger a “wave of voluntary terminations that we welcome.”
The FTC has a significant workload ahead, with multiple lawsuits against large companies, including Amazon, Meta, and PepsiCo. If staff were to leave while cases are ongoing, it would significantly impact the agency’s ability to function, according to former FTC attorney David Schwartz.
The memo did acknowledge that staff with remote work arrangements may face unique difficulties, and the agency is working to address these difficulties while still complying with the Presidential Memorandum. Additionally, a procedure is being developed to consider requests for exemptions from the mandate in exceptional circumstances.
