IRS Office Attendance being Verified by Inspector General

The General Services Administration (GSA) has set an ambitious 80% utilization goal for federal buildings, as many agencies struggle to accurately track office attendance. According to Michael Peters, a former commissioner of the Public Buildings Service and a Department of Government Efficiency representative, agencies, including GSA, lack accurate numbers on daily office occupancy.

Amidst this challenge, some federal departments are taking steps to improve tracking. For instance, employees at the Department of Veterans Affairs have access to a "Return to Office Tracker" on their internal website. On the other hand, the IRS campus in Andover, Massachusetts, is grappling with a bedbug infestation, leading to a ban on teleworking and instructions for employees to catch any specimens found using tape and report them to a facilities management hotline.

The IRS's return-to-office mandate is causing concern among its employees, who claim that it is leading to lengthy commute times and straining an already beleaguered workforce. This issue is not unique to the IRS, as the Trump administration has also required agencies, including the IRS, to collect data on federal employees' in-person attendance.

In a bid to streamline operations, the Treasury Department is consolidating some of its back-office functions into a "unified service delivery model" called the Treasury Common Services Center (TCSC). Human resources personnel at Treasury headquarters will coordinate with bureau-level HR officials over the coming weeks to identify personnel who will be realigned to the TCSC.

The OMB memo, which provides its guidance under the Utilizing Space Efficiently and Improving Technologies (USE IT) Act, requires agencies to start tracking in-person attendance and to determine if those return-to-office plans still leave them with underutilized office space. The Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration is conducting a review to assess the IRS's compliance with this requirement.

Republican lawmakers have been pressing the Biden administration for federal building occupancy data as agencies gradually relax pandemic-era remote work and telework policies. However, there are no search results that directly identify which authority in the United States is currently conducting an investigation to determine if IRS officials comply with President Donald Trump's demand for full-time office presence.

In a move to enhance technology-based tracking, GSA leaders discussed implementing new technology to track federal building occupancy governmentwide in April. The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) also emphasises the importance of accurate time and attendance reporting, with TIGTA comparing time and attendance records against badge swipes when entering office buildings.

Despite these efforts, challenges remain. The IRS has cut more than 25% of its workforce, largely through voluntary incentives, and an IRS employee reported receiving a notification about a worker who "falsified their time reporting."

As federal agencies navigate these changes, it remains to be seen how they will meet the GSA's 80% utilization goal and ensure a smooth transition for their employees. The Treasury Department did not respond to requests for comment regarding the TCSC. The ongoing bedbug infestation at the Andover campus serves as a stark reminder of the challenges that lie ahead.