Watchdog urges probe into government telework, fears feds are abusing it to preserve leave

By Ben Whedon (Just The News)

December 29, 2022

A non-profit government watchdog is urging an investigation into federal telework practices after its research revealed “dramatic reductions in paid leave used by the federal workforce” during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Before the federal government engages in expanded telework in perpetuity, its impact should be investigated more fully by agency Inspectors General, Congress, and other oversight entities,” the Federal Government Initiative (FGI) asserted announcing its findings.

Reports emerged in May that federal agencies were not tracking whether their remote employees were logging into work computers. At the time, Sen. Richard Burr, R-N.C., demanded explanations from officials, saying he received “troubling information suggesting that up to one-third of the [Health and Human Services] employees are not logging onto their government issued computer equipment on an average day.”

Continue Reading…