Ernst unveils report, calls on federal workers to stop working from home

WASHINGTON — Iowa Senator Joni Ernst has unveiled a detailed report showing how federal bureaucrats have abused telework.

Ernst presented her findings at a news conference this week in the style of a Christmas poem.  “Twas five years since the first case of COVID was reported, but today throughout government offices, not a creature is stirring, not even a mouse.”

Ernst says before COVID, about 3% of the federal workforce was teleworking, but today, she says 6% of workers report in-person on a full-time basis.   “So the bureaucrats of Christmas Past are sitting in bubble baths, some of them have been sitting in jail, some of them are running their very own small businesses while operating on the federal government dime.”

Ernst says it’s time for those workers to come back to the office. “The bureaucrats of Christmas Present are asking Santa for permanent telework, but what we’re going to do — ‘tis the season to deck the halls with federal workers. So folks, you’re going to have to come back to the office, and if they don’t want to come back to work, we can make their Christmas wish come true.”

Ernst is the chair of the Senate’s Department of Government Efficiency Caucus.