Ernst Exposes ‘Naughty List’ Of Federal Agencies Using As Little As 7 Percent Of DC Office Space

Iowa Republican Sen. Joni Ernst admonished federal agencies for their work-from-home policies Tuesday, displaying a list of federal agencies whose employees’ physical absences are leaving expensive office buildings empty.

Speaking to reporters on Capitol Hill, Ernst rolled open a scroll revealing a “naughty list” of federal agencies with the lowest employee occupancy rates.

“Topping the list,” Ernst announced, are the Department of Housing and Urban Development and Social Security Administration which are “using just 7 percent of their office space.”

“Not a single agency has an occupancy rate of even 50 percent,” Ernst said. “If we’re not going to go actually work within these agencies, then maybe we need to get rid of this space, because it does cost a lot.”

Ernst’s percentages represent the three-month average utilization of federal agency offices based on a report prepared by the Government Accountability Office (GAO). In August, the Iowa lawmaker demanded each federal agency reexamine remote work protocols that persist three years after the first wave of coronavirus lockdowns. Ernst awarded her monthly “Squeal Award” to federal abuse of work-from-home policy.

“Remote work provides federal agencies with an opportunity to reduce costs for taxpayers and increase the ability to recruit and retain talent for public service,” Ernst wrote to agency inspector generals. “However, such arrangements only work for taxpayers when telework does not (1) harm the agencies’ ability to achieve their mission, (2) adversely impact the timely delivery of quality services, or (3) impede or impair the management of