‘It was messy’: Federal workers ordered to return to offices without desks, Wi-Fi and lights

Millions of federal workers were ordered to return to offices across the country in recent weeks. Many have come back to workplaces that weren’t ready for them.

Millions of federal workers were ordered to return to offices across the country in recent weeks, marking an end to Covid-era rules allowing more flexibility to work from home. Many have come back to workplaces that weren’t ready for them. In one Department of Health and Human Services office, there was no Wi-Fi or full electricity in the first hours when people returned last week. Department of Education employees at an office in Dallas returned to ethernet cords in piles around the floor, random wires sticking out of walls, and motion-sensor lights that weren’t working correctly, leading to dark workspaces. One employee tripped over a pile of cords on her first day back, resulting in a large gash on her foot. She’s submitted a workers’ compensation complaint. And a Department of Defense employee who returned to in-office work and handles sensitive information was stuck in a conference room with people on different teams, forcing them to leave the room to make calls. The employee was eventually moved to an office — but one without Wi-Fi, so they had to use their phone’s spotty hot spot. “The only thing a return to the office has given me is an hour of traffic while driving and a loss in efficiency,” said the worker, who requested anonymity for fear of job reprisals.