IG to investigate federal offices left vacant by telework policies

A federal inspector general has opened an investigation into telework policies that have turned some government offices into ghost towns, risking the spread of disease and raising questions about how agencies deliver services.

The inspector general for the General Services Administration, which acts as the chief landlord for civilian executive branch agencies, confirmed the work in a letter to Sen. Joni Ernst, Iowa Republican, who says the government has not fully grappled with a host of questions about the barren buildings.

“My office shares your concerns about the effect of telework on GSA’s ability to carry out its mission effectively and efficiently,” acting Inspector General Robert Erickson told Ms. Ernst in a letter, which The Washington Times obtained. “My office plans to continue to devote attention to GSA’s space utilization in our future oversight efforts.”

Mr. Erickson’s office has conducted groundbreaking work on water supplies at understaffed federal buildings and found at least six with the bacterium that causes Legionnaires’ disease, a type of serious lung infection. One case of the disease has been linked to one of those buildings.