OPM's Telework Report Shows a 73% Drop but Measures No Results

The Office of Personnel Management's new telework report to Congress says federal telework fell 73 percent in a single year. The fiscal 2025 report runs about 20 pages, and it tells federal employees a great deal about where they sit, but very little about whether that change made government work better.

What the Report Says

OPM collected data from 97 agencies for the final full pay period of fiscal 2025. It found that 273,497 employees, or 12 percent of the workforce at reporting agencies, teleworked in some form during that period. In fiscal 2024, the figure was 1,017,230 employees, or 40 percent. OPM Director Scott Kupor described the result as a fundamental reset in how federal employees serve the public. At OPM itself, telework now stands at 7 percent.

What the Report Leaves Out

The report does not include a single measure of faster service, money saved, or improved performance. The only thing it measures is where employees work.

The headline number also deserves a closer look. The 73 percent figure compares a full year of data to a two-week snapshot from last September, and OPM's own report acknowledges that the numbers are not directly comparable.

Outside research points in a different direction. A randomized study published in Nature found that hybrid workers were just as productive and just as likely to be promoted as their in-office colleagues, and that resignations dropped by a third.

The Accommodation Question

The report states that telework remains a legitimate tool for reasonable accommodation. What it does not do is count how many federal employees with disabilities asked for telework as an accommodation, or how long they waited for an answer.

That gap matters. In the cases we see, agencies can sit on accommodation requests for months. Under the Rehabilitation Act, unnecessary delay in responding to an accommodation request can itself be a violation of the law.

What You Can Do Now

• Put any accommodation request in writing, and keep a record of the date you submitted it.
• Keep copies of your approved accommodation, medical documentation, and any written telework agreement somewhere you can reach outside government systems.
• If your agency changes or ends an accommodation arrangement, ask for the decision in writing.
• Track every follow-up and every response, so the timeline is clear if a delay becomes a dispute.

Get Guidance on Your Situation

If your telework accommodation request has stalled or been denied, the federal employee lawyers at Southworth PC can help you understand your options and the deadlines that may already be running.

Legal Disclaimer: This content is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Federal employment situations are fact-specific and time-sensitive. Please consult a qualified federal employment attorney about your specific situation.