On Thursday, March 13, 2025 (12:15pm) the AFGE General Committee Spokesperson released a email to Union officials with a summary of the Morning Meeting with Acting Commissioner Dudek and the the leadership of the three (3) SSA Unions.

This is a summary of the discussions on RTO and Telework:

At the top of the meeting, I raised the recent telework terminations at OCIO, and stated that the terminations will induce attrition that will threaten systems stability and knowledge transfer of SSA’s aging and fragile systems. I reiterated that telework terminations for other SSA components, especially the frontlines (FO, TSC, WSU, OHO, OAO, OQR, etc.), would be inconsistent with the Administration’s exemptions from the hiring freeze EO, deferred resignations, and probationary terminations because telework elimination would cause catastrophic attrition at a time when we are already at the lowest staffing levels in 50 years serving more Americans than ever, and that such attrition would lead to service collapse.

In response, the Acting Commissioner stated that he would honor union contracts, and stated that the OCIO telework cuts are only temporary because there are time-limited projects that he believed were best served through in-person collaboration. I stated that the problem is that OCIO employees received an HRIC telling them that their telework was terminated, and that their supervisors served them with termination notices, which suggests that the cuts were not temporary. I also stated that, agencywide, management did not solicit their employees for new telework agreements as required by the contract every February and August, which does not create the appearance that the Agency is honoring the contract. Mr. Dudek reiterated that he would honor the contracts and that there he has no plan or intention to permanently eliminate telework. I stated that actions must be taken to correct the record. I will be following up with OLMER on this matter.

Mr. Dudek also reiterated his statement that he would adhere to the contracts in response to questions from the AALJ. This is an apparent change in position from the prior emails employees have received since January, and we will do everything to ensure that the Agency follows through.

On Thursday, March 13, 2025 (3:55pm) the Agency released the following notice to AFGE General committee Spokesperson:

Dear Mr. Couture,
This is informational notice that in accordance with Article 41, Section 5.C. of the 2019 SSA/AFGE National Agreement, the Social Security Administration is suspending telework effective March 16, 2025, for all AFGE bargaining unit employees with the exception of employees in the Office of Hearings Operations, and the Office of Financial Policy and Program Integrity. All effected AFGE employees must return to work in-person at their respective duty stations on a full-time basis unless excused due to a disability, qualifying medical condition, or other compelling reason certified by the agency head and the employee’s supervisor.

Eddie Taylor
Associate Commissioner
Office of Labor-Management and Employe Relations

On Thursday, March 13, 2025 (4:01 pm) the Agency released the following notice to SSA Bargaining Unit

From: ^Human Resources Internal Communications <Human.Resources.Internal.Communications@ssa.gov>
Sent: Thursday, March 13, 2025 4:01 PM
Subject: Bargaining Unit Employees – Return to In-Person Work

A Message to All Employees

Subject:  Bargaining Unit Employees – Return to In-Person Work

On Monday, January 20, 2025, President Trump issued a Presidential Memorandum (PM) requiring all employees to return to work in-person full time.  This message serves as your official notice that your telework agreement will be suspended effective March 16, 2025, with all employees expected to return to work in-person full time on March 17, 2025. 

*AFGE’s position that the Agency is in violation of the AFGE/SSA Negotiated Agreement.

*AFGE is in consultation with our Legal team for guidance on an effective response/litigation plan.

*Employees should return to work as directed.

*AFGE will continue to update as information becomes available.

*We urge all employees including friends and family to contact the legislative representative with your concerns.