Senate bill would codify remote work, increase telework reporting

codifies the Office of Personnel Management’s administratively determined definitions of telework and remote work—including the requirement that teleworkers commute to their traditional worksite at least twice per pay period

Not exactly remote, is it?

Telework isn't remote work. Remote work is remote work.
- What exactly is the difference?
  Like I looked up Telework and the first definition is exactly what I'd assume remote work is.
I would love for someone to give me a good reason to add this part (semantics arguments about "telework" vs. "remote work” aside).
If a position does not require this, why do we need the federal government telling employees they need to unnecessarily come into the office? What if an employer is literally closing all of their physical offices to save on overhead because everyone is telework now? Where are those people supposed to report to twice a pay period, and why?
And, I guess if you get paid weekly, you're S.O.L.? So employers continuing to push back on all forms of telework can switch from biweekly to weekly pay so their employees need to come in 8+ times a month rather than 4.
More stupid, pointless bullshit holding back progress.

I don't like that they're making you justify your remote work every year, but I do like that they're increasing hiring of spouses of military and federal law enforcement for remote positions. At first it sounds like nepotism, but this explains it pretty well:

The spouse of a Border Patrol agent working in the small town of Eagle Pass, Texas, might not be able to find a job that fits their education or training, but remote work for a federal agency may be a great opportunity.

Hopefully it'll increase the number of remote positions, and adding another good-paying government job to those remote communities will really help them out.

They can perform useful work remotely like reviewing IRS records so we can start cracking down on these millionaire tax cheats.
- Heck yeah. Or help review and approve firearm background checks for NICS.
I don’t understand how that makes it sound any better. That hypothetical spouse could, right now, apply for a competitive remote position, compete against the other candidates, and, if they are the best-qualified for the position, obtain it.
All this seems to do is reduce the ability for people who don’t want to marry a service member or a cop to obtain remote work, since they’ll have no opportunity to compete for the job.
- The idea is that military and federal law enforcement are required to move for the needs of the organization. As such, their spouses tend to get their careers uprooted frequently.
  I'm not saying it's right or wrong, but it is the government trying to minimize the damage to these families.

...for federal workers.

What starts in the government traditionally trickles down through corporations.
- Whens that minimum wage increase coming
- I don't think we have to worry about this too much, I doubt this will ever pass or be enforced. The fed has already had a terrible time recruiting/retaining valuable employees.
  My dad is retiring at the end of the year from the FAA, and they're basically begging him to stay longer. They're still doing remote work because a lot of the employees have simply refused to come back to the office. A lot of his co-workers are physicians who could easily find new better paying jobs, but work for the FAA for convenience and the ease of work.
  If they start putting the screws to federal employees, they're just going to quit to make more money in the private sector.
Which is a shit ton of workers

Really the rule should be "why do you need people to come in?" With acceptable answers being literal job duties that can't be done remotely in any way.

Yeah, great. Give me my damn home office deduction back.

"authorize the noncompetitive hiring of military and law enforcement spouses into remote work positions."

This should be a big take away. Oh you're married to a cop? Here's a job!

First, they get beaten at home, Now they have to work from home!

This just sounds like it’s adding more of a headache and more work to something that isn’t necessary. It will turn management off to the idea.

Fucking assholes