Union Presses Trump Administration on Telework as Gas Prices Surge

One federal employee union is demanding that the Trump administration restore telework for federal employees, given the high gas prices.

In a letter to Office of Personnel Management (OPM) Director Scott Kupor, the National Treasury Employees Union (NTEU) argued that federal employees should be allowed to telework at least until gas prices return to below an average of $3.00 a gallon.

Gas prices are currently averaging about $4.29 for a gallon of regular unleaded according to the American Automobile Association (AAA), as opposed to $2.98 at the end of February, right before the start of the conflict in Iran.  

“Mandating that all employees must work in person in federal offices, even though many of these jobs were done successfully remotely for years, creates a significant financial burden with gas prices so high, especially for those who live in more rural areas that may be further away from their official worksites,” wrote NTEU National President Doreen Greenwald.

In addition to asking for a restoration of telework, Greenwald also called on OPM to provide federal workers with a “fair pay increase next year” noting that the current 2027 budget proposal provides no raise for federal civilian employees. 

“Private industry looks to the federal government to be the model employer. These immediate across the board actions will help lessen the economic impact all Americans are facing,” wrote Greenwald. 

In one of his first actions in office, President Trump mandated a return to in-person work, five days a week, with limited exceptions. The administration said it would increase accountability, strengthen the merit-based workforce, and save taxpayer money, and has defended the policy since then. 

“We want them in an office that we’re paying for in Washington, D.C., or wherever it may be. And we’ve largely taken care of that mess,” said President Trump earlier this year, in an event marking his one year in office. “I guarantee you they’re out on the ballfields. I guarantee you they’re out playing golf. And you can’t run a country or a company that way.”

Mileage Rate Increase?

NTEU also sent a letter to Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Chief Executive Officer Frank Bisignano requesting that the IRS make a mid-year adjustment to the mileage reimbursement rate for official travel due to high gas prices. The IRS has done that three times since the year 2000, with the last time in 2022.

While the General Services Administration (GSA) sets government reimbursement rates, they are capped by the IRS’s maximum rate at which taxpayers can deduct fuel as an expense. 

NTEU’s Greenwald noted that many federal workers, including those working for the IRS, must drive their personal vehicles for their jobs.

“Failing to increase the mileage reimbursement rate in response to rising fuel costs shifts unreimbursed business expenses onto employees and creates unnecessary financial strain for all workers who must rely on their cars to perform their jobs, including federal employees,” stated Greenwald.