Connect with us

Hi, what are you looking for?

Smart Success Strategy – Investing and Stock NewsSmart Success Strategy – Investing and Stock News

Investing

Sen Joni Ernst wants remote government workers investigated: ‘We’re coming after them’

Sen. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, is urging the Inspector General to launch a federal investigation into whether some government agencies are overpaying remote workers who receive a Washington D.C. salary but live in a lower cost of living state — a problem she says was exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Remote work spread rapidly as a way to keep some industries afloat during nationwide stay-at-home orders, and government agencies were no exception. However, Ernst said the government is typically inept at keeping track of its workers, leading to ‘an avalanche’ of problems that started years before the pandemic.

After several instances revealed employees were playing golf or soaking in a bubble bath while on the clock, Ernst wants an investigation into whether federal remote workers are meeting specific performance metrics that proves they are actively working during business hours.

‘We’re paying salaries for people that aren’t working, they’re earning benefits and retirement benefits that they don’t deserve,’ Ernst said to Fox News Digital. ‘It’s theft.’

Federal managers told Ernst about several instances where, unbeknownst to the employees, they can see when workers log on and off to their systems. One manager shared that they will see workers log on at the start of the day, and then ‘go dark’ for the remainder of the day.

‘We are doling out how many millions if not billions of dollars in salaries for people that claim to be remote working, but aren’t even actually working, period,’ she said.

An example Ernst cited was a manager overseeing a team responsible for helping veterans schedule appointments at the Atlanta VA Medical Center — which faces one of the lengthiest doctor appointment wait times in the nation — was outed for spending an hour in a bathtub while on duty.

In the manager’s Instagram post, his government-provided laptop was visible, displaying a staff meeting, all while his legs were submerged in the bath.

‘MY OFFICE FOR THE NEXT HR,’ the caption read. 

In a recent letter to Inspector General Diana R. Shaw, Ernst cited an Office of Personnel Management survey which found only one in three federal employees are fully back in the office, while less than one in five ‘never’ report to a physical office.

During a two-month span in the fall of 2022, only five percent of the federal workforce that typically operated from government-leased offices in the Washington, D.C. area physically reported for work on an average day, according to data from the General Services Administration and analyzed by the real estate firm Cushman & Wakefield.

A Government Accountability Office review found that the headquarters of 17 different federal agencies have more than 75 percent of their available office space vacant.

‘We should not be paying for office space that is not being used,’ Ernst said, adding that it’s time for government employees to return to office. 

‘It’s taxpayer money that they are stealing,’ she said. ‘So, we’re gonna figure this out, but I want federal employees to know this is a warning shot to them. They better make it right, or we’re coming after them.’

The Inspector General’s office is expected to have a report back to Ernst by the end of next month, she said. 

Ernst isn’t the only Republican in Congress pushing for federal employees to return to in-person work. In January, the GOP-led House passed the SHOW UP Act, a law that would require civil servant employees to show up to their offices. Twenty-six Republicans co-sponsored it. 

‘The federal workforce needs to get back to work,’ Republican Kentucky Rep. James Comer, sponsor of the SHOW UP Act, said just before a vote on the House floor. 

‘Federal agencies are falling short on their missions. They are not carrying out their duties. They are failing the American people,’ he said.

This post appeared first on FOX NEWS
Enter Your Information Below To Receive Latest News, And Articles.



    Your information is secure and your privacy is protected. By opting in you agree to receive emails from us. Remember that you can opt-out any time, we hate spam too!

    You May Also Like

    Editor's Pick

    The energy revolution is here to stay, and electric vehicles (EVs) have become part of the mainstream narrative. Despite geopolitical tensions and uncertainty, the...

    Editor's Pick

    Overview Mexico’s Sinaloa state hosts a number of prolific silver and gold mines, including McEwen Mining’s (TSX:MUX) El Gallo Complex, Americas Gold and Silver’s...

    Editor's Pick

    Uranium is an important energy sector commodity, and its rising value has attracted investor interest. 2023 has seen uranium prices solidly above the important...

    Investing

    A new survey shows that the presidential race between former President Donald Trump and President Biden is thin, but Biden faces a deficit in...

    Disclaimer: smartsuccessstrategy.com, its managers, its employees, and assigns (collectively “The Company”) do not make any guarantee or warranty about what is advertised above. Information provided by this website is for research purposes only and should not be considered as personalized financial advice. The Company is not affiliated with, nor does it receive compensation from, any specific security. The Company is not registered or licensed by any governing body in any jurisdiction to give investing advice or provide investment recommendation. Any investments recommended here should be taken into consideration only after consulting with your investment advisor and after reviewing the prospectus or financial statements of the company.


    Copyright © 2024 smartsuccessstrategy.com