SHOW UP Act of 2025 Stopping Home Office Work’s Unproductive Problems Act of 2025
Impact
This bill has significant implications for the operating procedures of federal agencies, as it seeks to curtail the flexibility that remote work provided during the pandemic. Proponents of the bill argue that a return to in-person work is essential for enhancing employee productivity, improving communication, and fostering a collaborative environment. They believe that the challenges posed by remote work have negatively impacted customer service and the efficiency of government operations.
Summary
House Bill 473, known as the 'SHOW UP Act of 2025', aims to restore in-person work levels at federal agencies to those that existed prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. The bill mandates that each agency will reinstate its telework policies to what they were on December 31, 2019, thereby preventing any further expansion of telework initiatives unless a detailed impact study and certification are submitted to Congress. This legislation reflects a growing sentiment among certain lawmakers to re-evaluate remote work practices that were broadly implemented during the pandemic and to return to traditional workplace settings.
Contention
However, there are notable points of contention regarding this bill. Critics argue that limiting telework could hinder recruitment efforts, particularly for roles that can be effectively performed remotely. They express concerns that forcing a return to in-office work may not align with employee preferences and could potentially result in a loss of talent. Additionally, there are worries about the continuous need for a flexible work environment, particularly since many employees have adapted to new workflows that maximize productivity through remote arrangements. The balance between maintaining traditional work practices and accommodating modern work styles remains a contentious debate in the legislative arena.
Requiring Effective Management and Oversight of Teleworking Employees Act or the REMOTE ActThis bill directs executive agencies to track employees' computer network activity, compare the activity of teleworking and on-site employees, and report on any deficiencies in the performance of teleworking employees.First, the bill requires each agency to establish policies to track for every employee (1) the average number of daily logins, (2) the average daily duration of the network connection, and (3) the network traffic generated while the employee works. This information must be collected from employees working primarily on-site within 180 days after the bill's enactment and from teleworking employees within one year after the bill's enactment. The bill also directs each agency to publish this data in the agency’s fiscal year budget justification materials, including a comparison of the average login rates of on-site and teleworking employees.Next, the bill directs any manager who revokes a teleworking employee's authorization to telework (due to a reason specific to that employee) to document for the employee and the agency's Human Capital Office (1) the total number of days that the employee teleworked in the six work periods immediately preceding the revocation, (2) a narrative summary of the circumstances giving rise to the revocation, and (3) any steps the manager took to discipline the employee before revoking the employee's telework authorization. Finally, agencies must report to the Chief Human Capital Officers Council about any adverse effects of telework policies on the performance of the executive agency.
Directs state agencies to submit reports detailing their telework policies; permits input from employees anonymously; directs the department of civil service to compile reports and submit a single report to the legislature.