A new report from the House Oversight Committee criticizes the Biden-Harris administration's extensive use of telework for federal employees, arguing it has harmed government agencies and new employee training. The report, obtained by Fox News Digital, suggests that the Biden administration's reported telework data inflates actual office attendance and that taxpayers are footing the bill for largely unoccupied federal office spaces.

The committee's investigation revealed that a significant portion of the federal workforce, approximately 228,000 employees, are never required to be in the office, and a substantial number of the remaining eligible employees telework extensively. The report contends that this widespread telework practice falls short of the administration's own return-to-office targets and represents a wasteful expenditure of taxpayer dollars on underutilized office space.

The report also alleges that the Biden-Harris administration collaborated with federal labor unions to maintain high telework levels, potentially complicating efforts by the incoming Trump administration to reverse this trend. Oversight Committee Chair James Comer (R-KY) expressed concern that the administration prioritized union preferences over agency missions and public service.

Comer emphasized the need for the Trump administration to prioritize mission outcomes over employee preferences and union demands when setting telework policies. The report recommends implementing automated tracking systems for telework usage, establishing clear performance metrics, and increasing reporting frequency to enhance transparency and accountability.

Furthermore, the report advises against inter-agency competition based on telework allowances, urging a unified approach that prioritizes the public interest. The House Oversight Committee is scheduled to hold a hearing on the matter, featuring testimony from former Social Security Administration Commissioner Martin O’Malley, Federal City Council Board of Directors President Tom Davis, and Rachel Greszler of the Economic Policy Innovation Center. O’Malley, notably, secured telework agreements for a large number of Social Security employees extending until 2029.

A separate Senate report, authored by Senator Joni Ernst (R-IA), highlights the significant number of vacant and partially empty government buildings, further underscoring the issue of underutilized federal property. The upcoming hearing aims to examine the Biden administration's approach to federal telework and its potential impact on the incoming Trump administration's ability to address the issue.