Some federal workers report ‘chaos’ as federal return-to-office begins

• Thousands of federal employees, including those at the FDA, are finding their workplaces unprepared for their return to in-office work as mandated by the Trump administration. Issues include long lines, cramped offices, broken desks and bacteria in drinking water.
• Similar problems have been reported at other agencies like the Department of Education and Department of Defense, with issues such as lack of Wi-Fi, dark workspaces and disconnected wires.
• Critics argue that the return-to-office rule is an effort to make federal workers uncomfortable and encourage them to quit.

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Thousands of federal employees forced to return to in-office work per orders from the Trump administration are finding many of their agencies’ workplaces aren’t ready for them.

Food and Drug Administration (FDA) workers are the latest to find this out amid the White House’s attempts to enforce a return-to-office rule following firings and buyouts to streamline the government workforce.

What are workers saying?

Multiple FDA staffers told The Associated Press they came to the agency’s headquarters on Monday, March 17, only to deal with long lines to park, clearing security checkpoints and finding cramped offices not meant to handle the influx of employees.

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One employee told the AP they experienced “chaos and lost work hours” after commuting and making their way into the office. Inside, the problem remained. Employees said there are broken desks, missing chairs, lack of office supplies and locked offices with no keys.

Workers also noted they brought their own drinking water on Monday because bacteria that causes Legionnaires’ disease was found at several FDA buildings. The General Service Administration has been working to address the issue since summer 2024.

Where else is this happening?

Employees reported similar issues at multiple agencies. They claimed to have experienced a lack of Wi-Fi, dark workspaces and the lack of space since returning to work.

Some problems have to do with leasing agreements between the government and contractors expiring. These issues happened before President Donald Trump took office. The leases started expiring due to a move to remote work during the COVID-19 pandemic.

What are critics of the Trump administration saying?

Some staffers and union officials, however, accuse the Trump administration’s return-to-office rule as a cloaked effort to make federal workers uncomfortable and encourage them to quit. Unions also accuse the administration of failing to enter into a negotiating process before initiating the mandate.

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Are some employees exempt?

Some employees have been granted exemptions due to lack of space. Union workers at the Veterans Affairs Department will have their return-to-office date announced at a later time, the agency announced.

The White House has yet to comment on the latest reports but Trump has previously argued remote federal work hurts productivity.