Musk and Ramaswamy Propose Ending Federal Remote Work

Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy proposed ending remote work for federal employees as part of their initiative to streamline government functions under the new Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), as appointed by President-elect Donald Trump. In a Wall Street Journal op-ed, they argued that requiring employees to return to the office full-time would lead to a 'wave of voluntary terminations' that they would welcome, suggesting that taxpayers should not fund the 'COVID-era privilege' of remote work. Currently, approximately 1.1 million federal employees are eligible for telework, with about 228,000 working fully remote. The duo's plan could affect over 2 million federal workers and aims to reduce office vacancy rates in Washington, D.C., which have risen significantly. However, their proposal may face opposition from labor unions representing many federal employees. This initiative marks a significant policy direction from Musk and Ramaswamy as they take on advisory roles in the incoming Trump administration.