Trump administration mandates daily occupancy reporting for federal employees: Report

ISTANBUL

Federal Election Commission (FEC) employees are now required to report their daily work location as part of a sweeping Trump administration effort to enforce return-to-office mandates and identify underused federal office space, local media said Thursday.

An internal email obtained by The Washington Post outlined the new protocol, introducing a "Daily Occupancy Tool" that all employees must complete each day.

"Unlike the ‘5 bullets’ this is not a strong encouragement. All employees are required to submit this daily information," the message said, referencing billionaire Elon Musk’s now-infamous directive urging federal workers to report weekly accomplishments, which some agencies later told employees to ignore.

The FEC directive follows guidance from the Office of Management and Budget and the General Services Administration, which have been coordinating efforts to implement daily occupancy reporting across federal agencies, according to The Post.

Beginning May 19, agencies will also be required to submit biweekly occupancy reports, it added.

The tool, previewed in screenshots included with the announcement, gives workers six response options, ranging from "I worked at the FEC office" to "I am on approved telework."

Each Friday, employees will receive a summary of their submissions, including any missed days.

According to the email, the tool serves dual purposes: ensuring agencies comply with the full-time return-to-office policy and helping the government "identify unused space that may be ripe for disposal."

The mandate arrives amid widespread frustration among federal employees, many of whom have struggled with overcrowded or poorly equipped office spaces.

Some were directed to work from conference rooms or even closets, and one relocation tool reportedly pointed employees toward a self-storage facility and a closed sandwich shop.

The FEC declined to comment Tuesday, according to the Post.

Meanwhile, a recent Washington Post-Ipsos poll found that 85% of remote-eligible federal workers oppose the in-person mandate, with over a quarter actively seeking new employment.

While the administration has not requested individual-level data in agency reports, each department must now tally daily in-office headcounts for submission to the budget office after each pay period.