REMOTE Act

Bill Number

S. 21

Origin Chamber

Senate

Congress

119th Congress, Session 1

Policy Area

Government Operations and Politics

Status

Introduced

Latest Action

2025-01-07: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.

Last Updated

2026-04-09T15:34:58Z

AI-Generated Summary

Purpose of the Legislation

The REMOTE Act aims to improve oversight and management of telework (remote work) in U.S. Executive departments by requiring them to collect and report data on employee login activity and network usage. This helps ensure telework is used efficiently while identifying any negative impacts on performance.

Key Provisions

• Definitions: The bill defines key terms, such as "teleworking employee" (a federal or contract employee working remotely under a telework agreement), "computer network" (systems employees use to access work tools like email), "login" (connecting to the network), and "network traffic" (data flow volume).
• Data Collection for Teleworkers (Section 2(b)):
• Within 180 days of enactment, departments must create policies to record logins and network traffic for teleworking employees.
• Managers must periodically review this data for remote workers.
• Within 1 year, departments must start retaining anonymized data, including average daily logins, connection duration, and traffic generated while working remotely.
• Data can be deleted no sooner than 3 years after collection.
• Data Collection for Headquarters Workers (Section 2(c)):
• Starting 180 days after enactment, employees and contractors at department headquarters must use secure ID cards (Personal Identity Verification or Common Access Cards) for logins.
• Departments must collect and retain similar data (average logins, duration, traffic) for on-site workers at headquarters, deletable after 3 years.
• Public Reporting (Section 2(d)):
• Annually, starting with the first full fiscal year after 180 days from enactment, departments must publish this data in their budget justification documents (explanatory materials submitted to Congress).
• Reports must anonymize personal information and compare remote teleworker login rates to: (1) the number of approved remote workers, and (2) headquarters workers.
• Enhanced Human Capital Reporting (Section 3):
• Amends existing law (5 U.S.C. § 6506(d)) to require Chief Human Capital Officers (agency leaders overseeing personnel) to submit annual reports on telework management.
• Reports must describe any negative effects of telework on agency performance, including increased disciplinary actions.
• Within 60 days of enactment, agencies must establish policies for managers to document and report revocations of telework privileges.
• Revocation reports, shared with the employee's human resources office and the employee, must include: employee details (name, role, pay, etc.), telework history (days worked remotely in the prior 6 periods), a summary of the revocation reason, and any prior disciplinary steps.
• Agencies must retain revocation records for a reasonable time after the employee leaves.

Significant Changes to Existing Law

• Amendments to 5 U.S.C. § 6506(d): Expands annual Chief Human Capital Officer reports to explicitly cover telework's adverse effects (e.g., performance issues or discipline) and adds a new requirement for detailed documentation of telework revocations. Previously, reports focused more generally on human capital efforts without specific telework oversight.
• Introduces mandatory data collection and retention rules for telework and on-site activity, which were not required before, along with public disclosure in budget materials to promote transparency.

Potential Impacts

• On Government Agencies: Increases administrative workload for tracking and reporting telework data, potentially leading to better accountability and efficiency in remote work policies. Could help identify underutilized telework or performance issues, but may require new technology or training.
• On Citizens: Indirect benefits through more effective use of taxpayer-funded federal operations, as improved telework management could enhance government productivity without major direct effects on the public.
• On International Relations: No direct impacts, as the bill focuses solely on domestic federal workforce management.

Main Stakeholders Affected

• Executive Departments: Must implement policies, collect data, and report, affecting agencies like the Departments of Defense, State, and others (as defined in 5 U.S.C. § 101).
• Federal and Contract Employees: Teleworkers face increased monitoring of their remote activity; all headquarters workers must use secure ID cards. Employees whose telework is revoked gain written explanations for transparency.
• Managers and Chief Human Capital Officers: Responsible for reviewing data, documenting revocations, and preparing reports, which could influence promotion or performance evaluations.
• Congress and Oversight Bodies: Gains access to detailed telework data via budget documents, aiding in funding and policy decisions.

Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications

• Privacy Considerations: Data collection on logins and traffic raises potential privacy issues under laws like the Privacy Act (which protects federal employee records), but the bill mandates anonymization in public reports and limits retention to 3 years, balancing oversight with protections.
• Constitutional Aspects: Aligns with Congress's authority over federal operations (Article I) but could face challenges if seen as overly intrusive on employee rights; however, it builds on existing telework laws (e.g., Telework Enhancement Act of 2010) without altering core employment rights.
• Political Implications: Promotes accountability in post-pandemic remote work trends, potentially appealing to those favoring in-office presence for productivity. May spark debates on federal workforce flexibility versus oversight, influencing future labor policies without partisan overtones in the bill text.

This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.

Sponsor

Sen. Ernst, Joni [R-IA]

Cosponsors (2)

Sen. Lankford, James [R-OK], Sen. Blackburn, Marsha [R-TN]

Recent Actions

• 2025-01-07: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.
• 2025-01-07: Introduced in Senate

Bill Versions

• Requiring Effective Management and Oversight of Teleworking Employees Act — issued 2025-01-07 — PDF (10 pages)