Seeing Trump asked Musk and Ramaswamy to lead a new task force aimed at cutting government spending and streamlining operations called the "Department of Government Efficiency."and eliminate work-from-home policies.

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Thousands of Federal Employees Land Work-From-Home Deal Ahead of Trump

By Josh Eidelson

December 03, 2024 at 2:47PM EST

(Bloomberg) -- A Biden administration appointee has agreed to lock in hybrid work protections for tens of thousands of Social Security staff, part of a slew of organized labor efforts that complicate President-elect Donald Trump's efforts to reshape the federal workforce.

The American Federation of Government Employees, a union representing 42,000 Social Security Administration workers, reached an agreement with the agency last week that will protect telework until 2029 in an updated contract, according to a message to its members viewed by Bloomberg.

The new deal, signed by President Joe Biden’s just-departed SSA Commissioner Martin O’Malley, will let workers “maintain current levels of telework,” AFGE chapter president Rich Couture wrote.

Under those current arrangements, in-office requirements range from two to five days per week, varying by job, according to people familiar who spoke on condition of anonymity because the new agreement has not been publicized.

“This deal will secure not just telework for SSA employees, but will secure staffing levels through prevention of higher attrition, which in turn will secure the ability of the Agency to serve the public,” Couture wrote.

An AFGE spokesperson declined to elaborate on the message.

A SSA spokesperson confirmed the independent agency “memorialized its preexisting telework policy in its contract with AFGE,” and noted that managers can still make temporary changes based on operational needs or performance issues.

Unions have been pushing the outgoing Biden administration to extend existing collective bargaining agreements with federal workers in advance of Trump's inauguration next month, according to people familiar with the discussions who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss private conversations. Some union leaders are urging the current White House team to issue an executive order calling for such moves.

A federal Office of Management and Budget spokesperson declined to comment.