Some 81% of USDA Farm Service Agency employees are in their offices full-time, and the limited availability of telework has contributed to some extent to recruitment and retention challenges, according to a Government Accountability Office report.
The GAO report said that the amount of telework at FSA has grown from less than 1% of the agency's total work hours from July through December 2019, just before the COVID-19 pandemic, to 6% to 11% in March 2024.
The report, which also covered telework practices at the Internal Revenue Service, U.S. Immigration and Citizenship Services and the Department of Veterans Affairs, found that 12% of FSA employees now telework one to two days per pay period.
About 3% telework at least five days per pay period. Telework-eligible positions are limited to eight days of telework per pay period.
Telework is distinct from remote work, which refers to jobs at which employees are not required to come into the office.
“FSA officials said that limited telework availability likely contributed to recruitment and retention challenges, but pay and workload issues were more important factors,” the GAO report said.
