Federal workers who telework one day a week could lose locality pay

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Or they could release some of the leased office space (and maybe lease out some of the federally owned buildings) and save some money. There is a federal office across the street from us that they spent about a decade renovating — it reopened years before the pandemic and I’ve never seen anyone going in or out or working there. Maybe doge could look into that?

What’s the current system with full remote workers though? If you are technically out of a dc office do you get dc locality pay? I know at least some business that pay alll their fully remote workers on their midwestern salary scale.

You’re supposed to get paid based on where you live, since your home is your office. (That said, when they switched DH from telework to remote, they never adjusted for some reason even though he made it clear he went remote at our address… our locality is only a difference of like 3k though).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Or they could release some of the leased office space (and maybe lease out some of the federally owned buildings) and save some money. There is a federal office across the street from us that they spent about a decade renovating — it reopened years before the pandemic and I’ve never seen anyone going in or out or working there. Maybe doge could look into that?

What’s the current system with full remote workers though? If you are technically out of a dc office do you get dc locality pay? I know at least some business that pay alll their fully remote workers on their midwestern salary scale.

You’re supposed to get paid based on where you live, since your home is your office. (That said, when they switched DH from telework to remote, they never adjusted for some reason even though he made it clear he went remote at our address… our locality is only a difference of like 3k though).

He may want to fix that. I had a few colleagues who had their salary screwed up after annual promotions— completely HR’s fault. It was small enough that they didn’t notice. They only found out when they were informed that they owed the difference, plus interest, and were chastised/warned for not noticing and fixing it immediately. It was pretty messed up.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:They really hate us!

Federal employees who telework at least once a week would lose locality pay under a new House bill. Under the Federal Employee Return to Work Act, teleworking employees would receive "Rest of U.S." locality pay even if they live and work in a region with a higher cost of living. Rep. Dan Newhouse introduced the bill. He and Sen. Bill Cassidy led the bill during the last session of Congress.
(Newhouse leads legislation to send federal employees back to work - Rep. Dan Newhouse)

https://federalnewsnetwork.com/federal-newscast/2025/01/federal-workers-who-telework-one-day-a-week-could-lose-locality-pay/

They do know many agencies saved money by eliminating local office space, right?

I will go in and sit on the floor 5 days a week just to spite them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Curious why some think this will not pass? To me it seems like something that actually could pass unlike cutting jobs, requiring in person 5 days/week, or getting rid of whole agencies.

I don't think requiring in person 5 days a week actually requires Congress. I think that can be an EO.

Also, I don't think removing locality pay for anyone who has to live close enough to work in person 3 days a week (which is most of the time!) passes a "reasonable" sniff test any more than those other things.

[Anonymous]

If they were offering fully remote for a pay cut, I'd think about it.
But nobody is going to take a big pay cut for 1 day of telework. You might get some takers at 3-4 days a telework, but not many.

So this has all the same logistical problems as just mandating everyone be in DC 5 days/week, for which there is no space. The fire marshal will be busy with crowding complaints.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:LOL!!! Right because someone that teleworks ONCE per week is doing so from Texas.

We all know that people who telework one day a week are using it for target runs, doctor’s appointments and laundry.

The fact that you cannot get work
done from home doesn’t mean that no one can.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Would you rather loose locality pay to be able to telework at least one day a week or rather keep locality pay and return to work 5 days a week?

Its really crummy but depending on the amount it may be far cheaper to work at home. At least they are giving that option. My spouse is RTO and its $15 a day in tolls, not including gas or the fact we will need another car soon given the distance/age of the old car (16 years old).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Or they could release some of the leased office space (and maybe lease out some of the federally owned buildings) and save some money. There is a federal office across the street from us that they spent about a decade renovating — it reopened years before the pandemic and I’ve never seen anyone going in or out or working there. Maybe doge could look into that?

What’s the current system with full remote workers though? If you are technically out of a dc office do you get dc locality pay? I know at least some business that pay alll their fully remote workers on their midwestern salary scale.

You’re supposed to get paid based on where you live, since your home is your office. (That said, when they switched DH from telework to remote, they never adjusted for some reason even though he made it clear he went remote at our address… our locality is only a difference of like 3k though).

He may want to fix that. I had a few colleagues who had their salary screwed up after annual promotions— completely HR’s fault. It was small enough that they didn’t notice. They only found out when they were informed that they owed the difference, plus interest, and were chastised/warned for not noticing and fixing it immediately. It was pretty messed up.

I know people whom this happened to as well. This is going to be a problem for him.

[Anonymous]

I’m already fully remote and lost DC locality. But if they prefer I can return and get DC locality back.

[Anonymous]

Will never pass and it would be an administrative nightmare. What if someone ad-hoc teleworks? We have to keep switching back and forth btwn locality non locality?

[Anonymous]

If I am offered pay cut (Rest of US locality 17.06%) to keep remote status, I would accept it.

For teleworking employees, my recommendation is to have locality rate somewhere between office station rate and rest of US rate, depending on their teleworking days. E.g. 2 days in office, then locality rate = 40% of office location rate + 60% of rest of US rate. I am not sure how many employees are willing to accept the deal. It is also pay cut from pre-covid teleworking policy.

My prediction: if 5 days in office, many retire eligible employees will choose to retire. Then there will be staff shortage issue, therefore there will be public service delay/disruption issue, then followed by public anger ..... then they backtrack their action a little.

[Anonymous]

Why do you need overpriced DC pay when you can work from anywhere and rarely leave the house?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Honestly, if I have to choose between such pay cut (Rest of US locality) and keeping remote status, I would prefer to keep remote status, hopefully, they will reverse the policy in 4 years.

But the bill is unlikely to pass.

+1. Returning full time has a lot of costs that might eat up the pay difference anyway.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Curious why some think this will not pass? To me it seems like something that actually could pass unlike cutting jobs, requiring in person 5 days/week, or getting rid of whole agencies.

It’s a big pay cut for employees who live in HCOL areas, and Feds already make less than private sector for a a lot of fields. I guess the worst case is that everyone does RTO full time, or quits.

[Anonymous]

Good way to drive out talented employees who have option to go elsewhere and make more $ with more flexibility. For fed individuals I know who work 50+ hours already and have earned the flexibility of wfh, the private sector will be glad to have them.