ROOMIE Act: Feds Face 80% In-Office Mandate, Unused Buildings on the Chopping Block

The ROOMIE Act is pushing for a major shift in how federal agencies operate, aiming to get most employees back in the office and put underused buildings to better use – or get rid of them. Here’s the breakdown:

Back to the Office (Like, Really Back)

This bill sets two big requirements. First, it mandates that at least 80% of federal employees must work in person, Monday through Friday (Sec. 4). That means no more full-time remote work for most. The Director of the Office of Personnel Management has to certify that agencies are hitting this target. Second, at least 60% of an agency's office space – whether it's owned, leased, or just controlled by the government – needs to be occupied by employees (Sec. 4). The Administrator of General Services (the 'Administrator' defined in Sec. 2) is in charge of making sure this happens.

Think of it this way: if you're a federal employee used to working from home a few days a week, those days are likely numbered. And if your agency has a mostly empty office building? That building might be on its way out.

The 60% Solution (or Problem?)

What if an agency can't get 60% of its office space filled? Within a year, they have to submit a plan to the Administrator and a couple of Congressional committees explaining how they'll reach that 60% mark (Sec. 4). The catch? They're supposed to consider using employees from any federal agency – even different ones – to fill the space. The bill specifically says to give 'special consideration' to employees from different agencies (Sec. 4).

Imagine a scenario where employees from, say, the Department of Agriculture are suddenly working in the same building as employees from the Department of Energy, just to meet a quota. That's the kind of situation this bill could create.

Use It or Lose It

If an agency doesn't meet the deadlines for in-person work and office occupancy, the consequences are pretty clear: they have to sell the property, terminate the lease early (if possible), or, at the very least, not renew the lease (Sec. 5). This is where the 'use it or lose it' aspect comes in. The bill's findings (Sec. 3) point out that many federal agencies are using a tiny fraction of their headquarters space, and some are even holding onto underused 'flagship properties'.

The Big Picture (and Potential Headaches)

One year after the agencies have to modify their policies (120 days after the bill becomes law), the Comptroller General has to report to Congress on how well everything is being implemented (Sec. 4). This means there's supposed to be some oversight.

While the ROOMIE Act aims to tackle the problem of wasted office space and potential health hazards in underused buildings (Sec. 3), it's not without potential problems. The bill leaves the definition of 'usable square feet' entirely up to the Administrator (Sec. 2), which could lead to inconsistencies. It could also force agencies to make decisions based on meeting quotas rather than what's actually efficient. For federal workers, it means a likely return to the office, whether they like it or not.