A Senate report unveiled at the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) caucus meeting found that only 6% of federal employees work in person daily, raising concerns about accountability and misuse of taxpayer dollars.
The investigation, led by Sen. Joni Ernst (R-IA), revealed that nearly one-third of federal workers operate fully remotely. Ernst criticized the current state of federal employment, saying, “The nation’s capital is a ghost town, with government buildings averaging an occupancy rate of 12%.”
Elon Musk, co-chair of DOGE, condemned the absenteeism, stating, “Almost no one shows up to work full-time.” Musk’s remarks underscored frustrations about productivity and efficiency within the federal workforce.
The report also identified financial abuses tied to remote work. Audits found that between 23% and 68% of teleworking employees received inflated locality pay based on office locations where they no longer reside. Ernst cited one employee who lived 2,000 miles away while collecting higher pay for nearly a decade.
House Speaker Mike Johnson vowed action, calling the findings “absurd.” He pledged that Congress and the incoming Trump administration would demand a return to in-person work to restore accountability and efficiency.
The report also highlighted the impact of absenteeism on public services, including backlogs, unanswered calls, and delays that harm Americans relying on government assistance. DOGE leaders aim to implement reforms to address these inefficiencies and bring employees back to their offices.
