Treasury Watchdog Audits IRS Attendance
The Treasury’s watchdog is investigating whether IRS employees are actually reporting for work as frequently as they claim. This move comes after Tax Management requested an audit to assess adherence to President Trump’s requirements for full-time office attendance.
The Trump administration has been encouraging various agencies to gather data, including badge usage, to verify if federal workers are returning to their offices as expected. IRS staff have expressed concerns that in-office work demands lead to lengthy commutes, adding stress to an already strained workforce. In recent years, the IRS has reduced its workforce by over 25%, primarily through voluntary measures, and recently rolled back plans for involuntary layoffs.
One anonymous IRS employee shared with the Federal News Network that the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (Tigta) is reviewing his time and attendance records to see if he is physically at the office when he swipes his badge. This employee mentioned that there have been alerts regarding colleagues who “falsify” their time reports, marking remote work as in-office hours instead. Employees received reminders to accurately record their attendance.
A Tigta representative confirmed that the Department of Tax Management is conducting a review at the Treasury’s request to evaluate compliance with full-time office requirements.
Another IRS worker mentioned that for years the agency allowed telework for several days each week. This policy shift has negatively impacted morale, especially with long commutes becoming more of a norm. “Many of us took this job, thinking we wouldn’t need to commute every day post-Covid,” the employee said. “Telework has been an option for a while, not just due to the pandemic.” It seems that long drives to the office are wearing everyone down.
Additionally, a third IRS employee reported that the Andover campus in Massachusetts is currently experiencing bedbug issues, making telework for affected employees impossible for now. They noted that the building had recently undergone pest control, with follow-up treatments scheduled for early September. Employees have been instructed to report any sightings and, if possible, use tape to catch specimens.
This situation marks one of the first instances of strict scrutiny on federal employee attendance. The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) has been collecting data on on-site attendance since May, seeking to understand how office space usage aligns with plans to return to work.
The OMB has mandated that agencies gather building occupancy statistics, such as daily totals and two-week averages. An OMB memo emphasized the administration’s commitment to efficient use of taxpayer money, stating the goal is to reduce underutilized federal office space.
Recommendations have included capturing employee badge swipes at security checkpoints or using daily login records to estimate on-site staff numbers. A rule signed by President Biden in January further requires the General Services Administration (GSA) and OMB to consolidate federal spaces if use rates dip below 60%.
In April, the Federal News Network reported on GSA officials discussing technology solutions to better monitor federal occupancy rates. Michael Peters, a former chief of public building services, remarked at a conference that many agencies lack accurate data on office attendance. “We literally don’t know how many people are in our building,” he said, suggesting it’s a basic metric they should track for each facility.
Peters also revealed that the GSA aims for an 80% occupancy rate across federal buildings, but current rates fall significantly short of that target.
A GSA real estate representative, speaking anonymously, mentioned that reaching an 80% utilization rate is quite challenging. It’s not uncommon for many offices, including those of major firms, to see attendance hover around 70% daily, due to factors like illnesses or travel.
Republican lawmakers have been pressuring the Biden administration for data on federal building usage as offices relax their remote work policies. Concerns about underused office spaces date back to the previous administration, with the Department of Housing and Urban Development planning to relocate from its underpopulated headquarters in Washington, D.C.
Meanwhile, Veterans Affairs employees have shared a “Return to Office Tracker” on their internal site, enabling searches by employee name or ID to view office return data regionally.
Ministry of Finance Streamlining Operations
In a related note, the Ministry of Finance is working on consolidating back-office functions into a “unified service delivery model.” Senior officials have established the Treasury Common Services Center (TCSC) within the Management Bureau, integrating HR processes, IT capabilities, acquisitions, and travel functions into one office.
John York, a Treasury executive assistant, indicated in a recent communication that this integration symbolizes a significant advancement toward improving management and support across the agency.
“We aim to learn from best practices across the agency to create a common “Treasury method” for support services,” York explained, emphasizing a focus on improving quality, speed, and adaptability to the diverse needs of their workforce.
Pete Bergstrom, Chief Financial Officer for the Department of Finance, will oversee the TCSC’s development. York noted that HR personnel will collaborate with department-level HR staff to identify individuals for reorganization into the TCSC.
“We’ll ensure that relocated staff remain in their current roles to maintain operational continuity,” he stated. “We understand the significance of this transition and are committed to proceeding with care and collaboration.” The Treasury Department and IRS did not provide any comments on these developments.
