H.R. 473: Stopping Home Office Work’s Unproductive Problems Act of 2025

This bill, titled the Stopping Home Office Work’s Unproductive Problems Act of 2025, aims to return federal agencies to pre-pandemic work conditions by limiting the extent of telework (working from home) allowed. Below are the key components of the legislation:

Restoration of Telework Policies

Each federal agency is required to reinstate telework policies that were in place as of December 31, 2019, within 30 days after the bill is enacted. This means that no additional telework arrangements can be allowed until the agency has submitted a plan to Congress for future policies.

Agency Studies and Reporting

Within six months of the bill's enactment, heads of each federal agency must submit a study to Congress. This study should cover:

• The impacts of telework expansion during the COVID-19 pandemic on the agency’s mission and customer service performance.
• Costs associated with maintaining underutilized properties or paying locality pay for remote employees.
• Issues faced in providing secure and effective communication tools and access to necessary agency data for teleworkers.
• Effects of telework on the distribution of personnel across the country.
• Any other relevant impacts the agency identifies.

Requirements for Future Telework Plans

If an agency intends to propose changes or expansions to telework policies beyond what is reinstated by this bill, it must:

• Submit a detailed plan and assessment of the expected positive impacts on the agency’s mission and costs.
• Include a certification from the Director of the Office of Personnel Management confirming that the proposed plan meets the requirements set in the bill.

Limitations on Implementation

Agencies cannot implement any new plans regarding telework unless they receive the necessary certification. If an agency's initial plan is not certified, it can submit revised plans until it receives approval.

Definitions

The bill defines key terms, including:

• Agency: Refers to an Executive agency as defined under U.S. code, excluding the Government Accountability Office.
• Director: Refers to the Director of the Office of Personnel Management.
• Telework: Includes remote work as defined under U.S. code.

General Goal

The overall aim of the bill is to enhance productivity and efficiency within federal agencies by ensuring more employees are present at their official workplaces, based on the belief that in-person work fosters better performance and service delivery.

Relevant Companies

• CSCO (Cisco Systems): As a major provider of networking hardware and telecommunications equipment, changes in telework policies may influence demand for their collaboration tools as federal agencies revert to in-office work.
• MSFT (Microsoft): With products like Microsoft Teams and Office 365 used widely for remote work, shifts in federal telework policies could affect the usage and sales of their services.
• ZM (Zoom Video Communications): Changes in telework may impact the use of Zoom's services in federal agencies, as in-person meetings become the norm again.