At the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) caucus meeting, a Senate report revealed that only 6% of federal employees report to work in person full-time. The investigation, led by Sen. Joni Ernst (R-IA), painted a troubling picture of a largely absent federal workforce.
Ernst highlighted that nearly one-third of federal workers operate entirely remotely, leaving government buildings at just 12% occupancy. “The nation’s capital is a ghost town,” Ernst said, adding that absenteeism has contributed to delays and backlogs in public services.
DOGE co-chair Elon Musk echoed the concerns, stating, “If you exclude security guards & maintenance personnel, the number of government workers who show up in person and do 40 hours of work a week is closer to 1%!” Musk’s remarks underscored frustrations about inefficiency in federal operations.
The report also revealed significant financial abuses. Ernst’s audit found that many remote employees inflated their salaries by claiming higher locality pay for areas they no longer live in. One individual collected inflated pay for nearly a decade despite living over 2,000 miles away from their assigned office.
House Speaker Mike Johnson joined the criticism, calling for an end to widespread remote work practices. “Federal workers must return to their desks. This is not something the American people will tolerate,” Johnson stated.
The findings have fueled demands for reforms to ensure accountability in the federal workforce. As DOGE leaders push for changes, the spotlight remains on the systemic issues undermining government efficiency.
