GOP chairman criticizes Biden administration’s federal work return policy as inadequate.
Rep. Roger Williams Slams Small Business Administration for Inadequate Return-to-Work Policy
Rep. Roger Williams (R-TX), chairman of the House Small Business Committee, expressed his frustration with the Small Business Administration (SBA) on Tuesday, criticizing their lack of effort in bringing federal employees back to in-person work.
Both Republicans and Democrats have called for an end to the pandemic-era protocols that allow government employees to work from home, leaving federal buildings in Washington, D.C. empty at the expense of taxpayers.
Insufficient Changes to Work-from-Home Policy
“It’s refreshing to see the SBA has taken the advice of this Committee and changed their work-from-home policy. However, this is still not good enough,” Williams told the Washington Examiner. “The SBA, like the rest of Main Street America, should be showing up to work, in person, every day.”
Last week, the SBA increased the minimum requirement for in-person work from three days per two-week period to five days. Previously, in March, the agency had a policy of two in-person days per pay period, or one day a week.
Williams continued, “Many small businesses never had the luxury to work from home, oftentimes having to decide between staying home or staying in business. The SBA allowing its employees to only come in to work for half a pay period is unacceptable in every way. It’s long past time for the SBA to take a page out of Main Street’s book and get back to work for the American people and help our nation’s entrepreneurs.”
Request for a Detailed Plan
In February, the House passed the SHOW UP Act, which aims to end coronavirus-era work policies for federal employees. Williams and eight other Small Business Committee members sent a letter to SBA Administrator Isabel Guzman, requesting a detailed plan for the agency’s return-to-work policy.
The letter also sought information on the number of general schedule employees and senior executive service employees who have been working from home. It highlighted the discrepancy between regional pay and living expenses, as well as the hierarchical equivalence of senior executive service employees to general officers in the Armed Forces.
Despite the deadline for a response passing on August 28, Williams’s office stated that the SBA has yet to provide a reply.
Economic Impact and Taxpayer Costs
While some view the return to in-person work as a matter of principle, audits have revealed the devastating economic effects on businesses and real estate in Washington, D.C. The cost of maintaining empty government buildings amounts to billions of dollars for taxpayers, and the lack of retail shopping by federal workers has deprived businesses of revenue and the city of tax dollars.
The Washington Examiner has reached out to the SBA for comment.
Click here to read more from the Washington Examiner.
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