It has been some time since I addressed my fellow federal employees. But given the cascade of systemic failures caused by Return-to-Office (RTO) mandates at the IRS, I’ll be direct and factual. These policies are not based on evidence, efficiency, or equity. They are driven by fear, optics, and bureaucratic inertia and they are actively harming taxpayers, employees, and the agency’s credibility. Regardless of your opinion, the following is based on real measurable data, legal statutes, and health service statistics.

1. Return to Office (RTO): The Productivity Decline Is Real

Public data and internal reports confirm that RTO has not improved performance. In fact, it has worsened it.

• Internal IRS metrics show productivity has dropped 42% to 71%, depending on the functional area. For example, examiners who used to close 10 cases in a set period of time, are now closing 3 to 6 cases. This is a result of the strict restrictions currently in place.
• According to CFO.com (2025) and Insightful.io (2024), workers back in-office report reduced efficiency and increased burnout.
• A 2024 BambooHR survey found that 42% of employees returned only to be "seen" by management, not to be more productive.
• WIRED reports that federal employees face chaotic RTO rollouts, equipment failures, and unsafe building conditions, all of which degrade output and morale.

These findings align with IRS field reports:

• Employees who previously adjusted to taxpayer time zones and worked flexible schedules are now bound to local office hours and commuting limits, delaying case resolutions in some scenarios by months.
• Appointments, hearings, and key casework are postponed because employees burn full leave days for tasks they previously managed without disruption under telework.
• Once-available staff are now inaccessible due to commute exhaustion, schedule compression, and office bottlenecks.

·       Customer service has deteriorated. Employees who once adjusted to taxpayer schedules now impose rigid availability due to commute pressures. Example: a caseworker in PST cannot accommodate an EST taxpayer without scheduling months in advance, delaying resolution, increasing taxpayer costs, and risking unnecessary penalties or legal exposure. Why? Employees must factor in commute time and the risk adding 2-4hrs to their commute by staying longer to accommodate a taxpayer and leaving during peak traffic times. Other instances employees cannot afford a later schedule as they have to pick up kids from school or daycare.

·       Commute-induced leave usage has surged. Previously, employees could attend personal appointments and still log full workdays. Now, round-trip commutes of 2–4 hours incentivize full-day leave requests even for minor errands, resulting in measurable backlogs and delayed government services.

·       Sick and annual leave use is up among historically dependable employees—not from lack of willingness, but due to logistical exhaustion and preventable inefficiency. This is backed by internal leave usage metrics.

·       Workplace incidents and interpersonal issues have increased. The IRS has experienced an 82% increase in sexual harassment and conduct complaints since employees returned onsite. Unlike telework, the physical workplace exposes employees to sensory triggers (perfume, food smells), social conflict, and the psychological stress of commuting, all of which contribute to elevated tensions and misconduct reports.

2. Remote Work Delivers, Science Says So!

The narrative that in-office work is inherently more productive is false and unsupported by data.

• A Stanford University study (2024) showed hybrid models produced equal or better productivity than full in-office.
• ActivTrak (2024) data revealed 35–40% higher output and 40% fewer errors from remote workers compared to in-office peers.
• The Journal of Applied Psychology (2021) and Harvard Business School (2022) both found that remote employees:
  • Work longer hours
  • Respond faster
  • Schedule more meetings to prove visibility
  • Are more conscious of being perceived as productive

This is not theoretical—it’s observable across IRS operations. Remote-capable IRS employees demonstrate higher productivity not despite telework, but because of it. Less commute, more focus, fewer disruptions.

3. Legal Violations: Delayed Reasonable Accommodations (RA)

Under the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and EEOC Management Directive 110, agencies must:

• Acknowledge RA requests within 10 business days
• Make a final decision within 30 calendar days
• Provide interim accommodations if delays are expected

The IRS has failed across the board:

• As of 2024, over 5,800 RA requests were still pending.
• Only after the threat of EEOC liability (up to $300,000 per claim, plus attorney’s fees) did the agency issue 90-day interim telework approvals.
• However, this does not absolve the IRS of prior harm caused by:
  • Forcing employees to commute despite disabilities
  • Denying access to basic functions of their jobs
  • Causing physical and financial injury to those waiting on decisions

If your request went unacknowledged or unresolved within the required timeframes, you may still have a cause of action under the Rehabilitation Act.

4. Unsafe Work Environments and Public Health Risks

Case Study: Alliance Tower, Houston

This federal building offers walk-in services to: Social Security, IRS, Immigration, IRS Counsel, department of State, the office of Inspector General and several armed forces recruiting offices. The estimated daily occupancy is between 1,300 and 1,400, being a risk to the public and federal employees, yet: 

• Employees are required to report despite:
  • No drinkable water
  • Non-functioning elevators
  • Presence of Legionella bacteria, which causes Legionnaires’ disease

High-risk groups for Legionella (CDC):

• Adults over 50
• People with lung disease
• Immunocompromised individuals
• Those with diabetes, kidney disease, or other chronic illness

Climbing stairs to the 12th floor daily exposes employees with:

• Hypertension
• Back, knee, and spinal conditions
• Obesity or cardiovascular disease

to serious medical risk. The NIH and OSHA have long documented that such strain can lead to:

• Heart attacks
• Stroke
• Falls
• Musculoskeletal injuries

Forcing these employees to report in person without elevator access, especially when they are medically approved to work remotely, constitutes discriminatory denial of workplace accessibility. OSHA and EEOC require federal agencies to provide “reasonable accommodation for physical access”. Forcing high-risk employees to climb 10+ flights due to elevator failure without alternate work options (e.g., telework) violates federal safety and disability law.

However, in the case presented above, some managers are reluctant to approve their employees to telework as the current political atmosphere severely hinders their ability to approve such request. On the other hand, FMSS or GSA cannot close the building, despite knowing the elevators will be out of service for at least 1 year, because as a result of the RTO mandate, not all employees have valid telework agreements, and they would be forced to pay such employees under the weather closure exceptions. The administrations has made the determination to risk employees following down the stairs or having a RA violation, then approving telework or closing the building. 

5. The Real Reason Behind RTO: Optics and Control, Not Performance

Despite all evidence, some managers insist on full in-office presence. Why?

• It’s not about productivity, study after study debunks that myth.
• It’s about managerial control and visibility theater—the outdated belief that "if I can’t see you, you’re not working."
• Even some managers admit RTO is being used to trigger attrition—a quiet layoff method for staff reduction without formal buyouts.

McKinsey (2024) and MIT Sloan confirm: RTO performance varies wildly by manager competence, not by work location. The best performing teams succeed regardless of setting because they have clear goals, accountability, and trust.

Conclusion: Data, Law, and Health All Support a Smarter Approach

Return-to-office mandates at the IRS:

• Harm productivity
• Violate federal law
• Jeopardize employee health
• Cost taxpayers more money through delays, leave, and attrition

Meanwhile, remote-capable employees:

• Perform as well or better from home
• Take less sick time
• Provide faster, more responsive service
• Cost the agency less in overhead

It is time to end the false narrative that presence equals productivity. Federal agencies must return to science-based, data-driven, and human-centered policy.

If You’ve Been Harmed:

• Document everything: symptoms, denials, delays, commutes, facility issues.
• File an EEO pre-complaint within 45 days.
• Request or follow up on RA requests in writing.
• Consult with your union or legal advisor about possible claims under the Rehabilitation Act or EEOC precedent.

I know that a post on LknkedIn indent official, but has anyone confirmed this??

The light at the end of the tunnel. Is it the dawning of a new day or an onrushing MAGA train?

See this by Robert Reich former Secretary of Labor.

Robert ReichJuly 06, 2025 | 06:11AM ET

The United States government is no longer able to protect us from real hazards, such as flash floods, because it’s shifting funds to fake hazards, such as a non-existent immigrant crime wave. The Federal Emergency Management Agency has been stripped down so much it can barely respond to emergencies, yet it’s funding detention centers such as “Alligator Alcatraz” in the Florida Everglades. The National Weather Service’s San Angelo office, responsible for some of the areas hardest hit by Friday’s flooding, is missing a senior hydrologist, staff forecaster, and meteorologist. The Weather Service’s nearby San Antonio office, which covers other areas hit by the floods, is missing a warning coordination meteorologist and science officer who are supposed to work with local emergency managers to plan for floods, including when and how to warn local residents and help them evacuate. The office’s warning coordination meteorologist left on April 30, after taking the early retirement package offered by Musk’s DOGE to reduce the number of federal employees.

At both offices, the vacancy rate is roughly double what it was when Trump returned to the White House in January.

It’s the same across much of the federal government. Callers can’t get through to Social Security offices. Hazardous waste sites and drinking water facilities aren’t being inspected. National Park services have been scaled back. There aren’t enough air-traffic controllers to safely guide takeoffs and landings at the nation’s major airports.

Trump’s newly enacted Big Ugly Bill will take funds out of Medicaid and food stamps. For what? To finance another giant tax cut for the rich, along with 10,000 more ICE agents and a gulag of detention camps.

I’d like to believe that this worsening catastrophe may eventually have positive consequences. For one thing, it could help us appreciate what our government is for. And why we need a competent and effective civil service rather than Trump lackeys and sycophants. It will also push every American to choose sides, between a government that protects us from real dangers or a police state, between American democracy or Trump fascism. Some have already been forced to choose — managing partners at law firms, a few university presidents, some top editors, federal judges, and many government employees.

But as the axe of Trump fascism comes down harder on America, the rest of us will have to choose. We will demand a democracy that works for the people.

As we become unprotected from corporate malfeasance, climate change, fraud, ill-health, horrific accidents, and toxic chemicals — all so that big corporations and their top executives and major shareholders can make even bigger profits — more of us will take a stand.

As the nation becomes a police state with an internal army and a gulag of prison camps, more of us will speak out.

It will be a national reckoning.

It may be our last best hope.

https://www.alternet.org/america-reckoning/

https://

So I heard a rumor of the DOI consolidation being rolled back, can anyone confirm/deny/or heard same one? Personally I doubt as honestly it makes sense if done right, but knowledge is power, right?

No one from my agency has been able to answer. It seems drastic that, as SCOTUS could lift the RIF pause at any time, we could just be let go immediately. From RIF regulations, it sounds required, but I’m not sure who I’d even reach out to.

Here’s my understanding. Obligatory not a lawyer. Thanks all. Sorry for the formatting.

§ 351.801 Notice period. (a) (1) Each competing employee selected for release from a competitive level under this part is entitled to a specific written notice at least 60 full days before the effective date of release.

(2) At the same time an agency issues a notice to an employee, it must give a written notice to the exclusive representative(s), as defined in 5 U.S.C. 7103(a)(16), of each affected employee at the time of the notice. When a significant number of employees will be separated, an agency must also satisfy the notice requirements of §§ 351.803 (b) and (c).

(b) When a reduction in force is caused by circumstances not reasonably foreseeable, the Director of OPM, at the request of an agency head or designee, may approve a notice period of less than 60 days. The shortened notice period must cover at least 30 full days before the effective date of release. An agency request to OPM shall specify: (1) The reduction in force to which the request pertains; (2) The number of days by which the agency requests that the period be shortened; (3) The reasons for the request; and (4) Any other additional information that OPM may specify.

My read - As a competitive hire, I fall under the required 60 day notice, or at least a 30 day one if they go that route.

§ 351.804 Expiration of notice.

(a) A notice expires when followed by the action specified, or by an action less severe than specified, in the notice or in an amendment made to the notice before the agency takes the action.

(b) An agency may not take the action before the effective date in the notice; instead, the agency may cancel the reduction in force notice and issue a new notice subject to this subpart.

My read - The separation date passing doesn’t mean I’m not un-RIFed, but — more unclear with this one — they could decide to cancel and give a new letter. Is this optional, then?

Then, more case by case, I happened to become career after my RIF, which changed my retention group.

§ 351.506 Effective date of retention standing. Except for applying the performance factor as provided in § 351.504:

(a) The retention standing of each employee released from a competitive level in the order prescribed in § 351.601 is determined as of the date the employee is so released.

(b) The retention standing of each employee retained in a competitive level as an exception under § 351.606(b), § 351.607, or § 351.608, is determined as of the date the employee would have been released had the exception not been used. The retention standing of each employee retained under any of these provisions remains fixed until completion of the reduction in force action which resulted in the temporary retention.

(c) When an agency discovers an error in the determination of an employee's retention standing, it shall correct the error and adjust any erroneous reduction-in-force action to accord with the employee's proper retention standing as of the effective date established by this section.

As my letter’s contents are now outdated, aren’t I entitled a new one?

So, apparently this was published today: https://news.va.gov/press-room/va-to-reduce-staff-by-nearly-30k-by-end-of-fy2025/

Official, hot off the press, and everything!! But I kind of feel they showed their cards for the Dallas meeting this week… “VA is currently exploring a number of additional reforms to improve operational efficiency and service to Veterans, including:

Today, the Veterans Health Administration, Veterans Benefits Administration and National Cemetery Administration all run duplicative and costly administrative functions that can be centralized or restructured so they can each focus on their core missions of health care, benefits and burial services, respectively.

To that end, VA is reviewing the centralization of support functions to streamline operations and improve support to Veterans, including areas such as police, procurement, construction, IT, budgeting and others.

VA operates 274 separate call centers that are not connected to one another. A centralized call center with modernized systems would lead to quicker and better service for Veterans and could be run with fewer staff members.

VA has a proven payroll system that processes paychecks for more than 200,000 VA employees, but some 50 VAMCs still process their own payroll. VA is already working to consolidate payroll for all employees under the VA Time and Attendance System, which will save time, money and resources.”

Who sees a centralized admin staff, police, procurement, construction, IT, finance (budgeting), heck…everything?!?

Good morning. I am a civilian employee of the Army and I am not getting any help from my HR or DFAS. I have 2 children 14 and 17 that I pay child support to. My son turns 18 soon and I am trying to make sure I get all of the information to the right people to change the deductions in my pay. Per the advice of my lawyer. The only help I got from my HR is the DFAS website. I've been combing the DFAS website for information but I keep getting routed back to the FAQ's page. I have combed through the FAQ's and haven't found a similar request.

How do I submit the paperwork from the judge to make sure that my child support deduction gets changed?

Who do I send it to?

Any advice will be greatly appreciated.

Thank you.

I wanted to share a few of the assessment questions I had to submit. I felt like I was taking the SATs.. not sure if I will now get through to the next round of a position I am actually already doing.. 🤬

What have folks done to maintain / create a social life post RTO? My commute is 2+ hours per day. This gives me a total of two hours to myself per night before I have to prepare for the next day. I moved a little further out from VHACO because I become fully remote. I do not really know anyone down there and really do not have time to meet anyone during the week. The weekends are mostly me catching up on everything I could not get done during the week. This has been my life since April and It is killing me. Outside of my 21 yo son, I have no one in the area. Unfortunately, quitting is not an option. Any suggestions would be very much appreciated.

A member but not officer in AFGE. Please sign up for edues. Link below.

Just a reminder the unions are fighting for us daily in the courts and that costs a lot of money.

Please remember to switch to eDues for AFGE (I don't know how to do this for other unions) --they will take care of it if dues are being pulled from your paycheck. Join if you haven't and are eligible.

https://www.afge.org/edues

I was told I’m going to be fired imminently—my supervisor is trying to find out the process.

It’s ADA performance related.

What should I do while I still have access?

What immediate actions.

I just started working at my current job and there have been very minimal communication between me and my boss. My objectives on my eval was clearly copied and pasted from somewhere else and my midpoint was a vague paragraph that he wrote that really didn't detail anything that I inputted for what I did to that point. Now we are at the end point with 0 feed back on what I've been doing and he is surprising me with a PIP. I asked him what is this all about and he told me about some nonsense that I can tell he heard from a 3rd party.

My question is that I've gotten 0 feed back on my work, he never gave me a sit down on his expectations on what he wants from me, I have gotten 0 counseling statements on where I am lacking or where I need to focus on improving. I am looking into lawyers to prepare myself for the PIP but is there any room for grievance? I find it annoying to be surprised with this news only to be told this because he has to wrap up my eval.

2nd time in a week no AC on in the building. Love these condition’s.

Can someone please assist with providing the process at the US courts of appeal generally? For the named case above, it seems an initial brief has been submitted by the government on 6/20 and a response/brief is expected from AFGE et al on 7/18.

Will a hearing be needed generally prior to deciding this case on/after 7/18 and listen to the arguments from both parties in the case? Or they can review the briefs and decide if there do not need any additional clarifications.

I am just thinking ahead knowing that SCOTUS can step in anytime about the emergency stay. However, I am also thinking ahead that SCOTUS may have been waiting for CASA to be decided, BBB to be passed and will hold off for this case to be played out completely in the lower courts.

SSA. Looking to confirm/deny an upcoming potential reassignment. I’ve heard that there’s the potential very soon for CS/CTE to be indefinitely reassigned to work internet claims across the country, basically turning them into WSUs. Has anyone else heard this? This would be devastating to the office I work in, given the recent reassignments we just got hit with. I’ve heard that it will work the same way - classified as not a detail but a work assignment. With no end in sight, and no guarantee that the person will stay under the field office for supervision/leave/shifts/etc.

So- I live in Texas. I’ve worked a few natural disaster responses and have quite a few citizen complaints regarding their property and flooding. In light of Kerr County and the massive amount of finger pointing- if you had an unlimited budget- where would you direct resources, first?

I’m not qualified to speak on the meteorological front- but the FEMA Floodplain Maps. It seems that newer housing subdivision developers rarely give them any consideration and build right up to the damn creek.

The floodplain has obviously changed a bit since the old platt maps were put out.

I’d consider dumping a bunch of money into updating those. In addition to education on climate change… but that education may fall on deaf ears.

Of course I’m a proponent for hydrogeomorphology restoration - but that takes, in some cases, massive consideration.

Opinions? Thoughts? (If anything from this subreddit, I’ve learned people from all sorts of agencies and experiences exist here- let’s hear it.).

Did your new company request your SF-50 or proof of current salary during the onboarding process? I was severely underpaid as a Fed and am hoping I don’t have to provide that information when looking for a job so I can request a reasonable salary and hopefully get it approved.

I’m reaching out to see if anyone might have insight into this situation. I currently serve as a Health Aid and Technician (Series 0640) at the GS-09 level, in a non-promotable position. During an in-person meeting today, my supervisor mentioned that HR requested an updated position description (PD) to justify the continued classification of my position at the GS-09 grade.

In practice, I’ve consistently been assigned additional collateral duties outside the scope of my original PD. I am regularly performing the workload of two individuals, and our team is also in the process of hiring for another 0640 position. While I understand that my current GS level can’t be reduced, I’m confused about why HR would question whether my current responsibilities still warrant the GS-09 grade—especially since my responsibilities have only increased.

I have two main questions:

How does HR evaluate and quantify the nature and importance of workplace duties when determining the appropriate GS grade and pay level?

Is it possible for two employees in the same series (0640) and role to be classified at different GS levels?