Incoming Trump administration advisers Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy proposed ending remote work for federal workers as a way to shrink the federal workforce, describing remote work as a “privilege” left over from the pandemic. They suggested requiring federal employees to come to the office five days a week, which could result in a wave of voluntary terminations. Currently, 46% of federal civilian employees are eligible for telework, with 10% in remote positions with no expectation of in-person work.
Musk and Ramaswamy are co-heads of a proposed Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), but their roles are advisory. They have advocated for various cost-cutting measures and cited the need for federal agencies to increase meaningful in-person work. Musk, known for his strict approach to remote work at Tesla and SpaceX, has been an influential figure in Trump’s orbit.
While some companies like Tesla and Amazon are calling workers back to the office, others view remote work as a valuable recruiting and retention tool. Some unionized federal workers have criticized Musk and Ramaswamy, accusing them of not understanding the federal workforce and making unrealistic claims about government waste.
In addition to ending remote work, Musk and Ramaswamy suggested other ways to cut federal jobs, such as large-scale firings and relocating federal agencies out of Washington. They also proposed repealing government regulations and cutting federal spending, citing recent Supreme Court precedent for support. Their opinion piece outlines specific policy suggestions related to their roles in the Trump administration.
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