Bills · HR 357
IN COMMITTEE· 119TH CONGRESS
House BillHR 357CommutingGovernment employee pay, benefits, personnel management
Back to Work Act
INTRO JAN 13· LAST ACTION JAN 13
READING
4MIN
COSPONSORS
1
READER REACTIONS0 TOTAL
NO VOTES YET · BE THE FIRST
- Introduced only
LEGISLATIVE PROGRESS
STEP 2 / 8Introduced
In Committee
Reported
Passed House
Passed Senate
Conference
To President
Became Law
WHAT THE BILL DOES
AI-writtenThis bill matters because it directly impacts the flexibility and work arrangements for hundreds of thousands of federal employees, which in turn affects government operations and taxpayer money. If it becomes law, it would significantly shift federal workforce policies away from more expansive telework options that became common during and after the pandemic. This could lead to more federal employees returning to physical offices, potentially increasing office occupancy costs, reducing work-life balance for some employees, and impacting the federal government's ability to compete with the private sector for talent.
Voters should care because the effectiveness and efficiency of the federal workforce are tied to government services. Proponents argue this bill would improve accountability and collaboration, while opponents suggest it could harm morale and reduce productivity by limiting flexibility. The requirement for agencies to report on telework metrics and negative effects could provide greater transparency into remote work's actual impact on government performance, allowing for better-informed decisions in the future.
KEY PROVISIONS
5AI-extractedPROVISION 01
Limits federal employee telework to no more than 40% of workdays per pay period for most employees.
This sets a clear, strict cap on remote work, significantly reducing telework opportunities for many federal employees.
PROVISION 02
Requires annual review and approval of agency telework policies by the head of each executive agency and mandates monitoring of teleworking employees.
This provision increases oversight and accountability for remote work at the agency leadership level and ensures agencies track remote employee activity.
PROVISION 03
Allows agency heads to further limit telework for specific roles (e.g., classified information, new hires, managers) or to waive the 40% limit for certain employees (e.g., military/LEO spouses, highly specialized positions, inclement weather).
This introduces flexibility within the strict telework limit, allowing agencies to tailor policies to specific job needs or personal circumstances.
PROVISION 04
Teleworking employees would not be eligible for certain pay adjustments and would receive locality pay based on the 'Rest of United States' area.
This could reduce the overall compensation for some teleworking employees, particularly those living in high-cost areas that typically receive higher locality pay.
PROVISION 05
Mandates annual reports from executive agencies to Congress on telework productivity, barriers, negative effects, and Inspector General findings, with an accompanying review by the Government Accountability Office (GAO).
This ensures ongoing transparency and independent evaluation of federal telework programs and their impacts.
SPONSORSHIP
1 + 1
R· Iowa
YRS IN OFFICE
3
BILLS LED
61
COSPONSOR BREAKDOWNBIPARTISAN · 0%
DEM 0 REP 1 IND 0
ACTION TIMELINE
2 EVENTSJAN 13
Introduced in House
JAN 13
Referred to the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform.
BILL INFO
TypeHouse Bill
NumberHR 357
Congress119th
StatusIn Committee
IntroducedJan 13, 2025
Last actionJan 13, 2025
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IN COMMITTEE· 119TH CONGRESS · OVERSIGHT AND GOVERNMENT REFORM COMMITTEE · INTRODUCED JAN 13, 2025
House BillHR 357CommutingGovernment employee pay, benefits, personnel management
Back to Work Act
INTRODUCED JAN 13, 2025· LAST ACTION JAN 13, 2025
PASSAGE CHANCES
—%
READING
4 min
COSPONSORS
1
COMPLEXITY
Moderate
