{"id":25999,"date":"2023-07-21T13:20:35","date_gmt":"2023-07-21T13:20:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/federaltimes\/uncategorized\/2023\/07\/21\/transportation-dept-to-bring-teleworking-employees-back-to-offices\/"},"modified":"2026-08-08T05:03:55","modified_gmt":"2026-08-08T05:03:55","slug":"transportation-dept-to-bring-teleworking-employees-back-to-offices","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/federaltimes\/breaking-news\/2023\/07\/21\/transportation-dept-to-bring-teleworking-employees-back-to-offices\/","title":{"rendered":"Transportation Dept. to bring teleworking employees back to offices"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Editor\u2019s note: This story was updated at 1:02 p.m. ET to include comment from the Federal Aviation Administration.<\/i><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The U.S. Department of Transportation will bring teleworking employees back to offices two days per week this winter, according to a top agency official.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The agency workforce would return on site in a phased approach of three days per biweekly pay period come September, bumping up to four days in December, according to the email sent to staff that was obtained by Federal Times.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe now seek to establish an optimal long-term operating environment at DoT \u2013 one that continues leveraging workplace flexibilities for eligible positions while also promoting meaningful in-person work and collaboration,\u201d said Philip McNamara, assistant secretary for administration in the email.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Reuters reported Wednesday t<\/a>hat the Federal Aviation Administration, an office within DoT, will have a higher requirement for its employees. The agency confirmed to Federal Times on Friday that as of Oct. 9, the agency will increase in-office presence to at least three days per week. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Transportation Department joins a growing number of federal agencies that are seeking to increase in-person work and align with the White House\u2019s return-to-work policies. Lawmakers, too, have tried to hasten these efforts by tying in work mandates in 2024 funding bills and pressuring agency heads to report the numbers and locations of remote workers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In late May, South Carolina Rep. Nancy Mace criticized DoT for having a near-empty building even after the national pandemic emergency declaration ended a few weeks earlier.<\/p>\n\n\n\t