The Return to Work Act would require every executive federal agency to reinstate the telework policies that were in effect on December 31, 2019. Agencies must implement these policies within 60 days of enactment. The reinstated telework policy would take precedence over any telework provisions in current teleworking agreements, collective bargaining agreements, or other employment agreements to the extent those provisions conflict with or differ from the 2019 policy. The bill defines “Executive agency,” “reinstated telework policy,” and “telework” using existing statutory definitions in title 5 of the U.S. Code. In effect, the measure seeks to roll back pandemic-era remote-work expansions and restore the pre-2020 framework for federal remote work.
Key Points
- 160-day deadline: Each executive agency must reinstate its December 31, 2019 telework policy no later than 60 days after the bill’s enactment.
- 2Supersession of conflicting provisions: The reinstated policy applies in place of any telework provisions in current teleworking agreements, collective bargaining agreements, or other employment agreements if they conflict with the 2019 policy.
- 3Definitions anchored in law: The bill uses established statutory definitions for “Executive agency” (5 U.S.C. 105), “reinstated telework policy,” and “telework” (5 U.S.C. 6501).
- 4Scope: Applies to executive agencies in the federal government (as defined by the cited statutes).
- 5No funding or penalties specified: The text provides a mandate to reinstate but does not include explicit funding, enforcement mechanisms, or penalties within the bill itself.