House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer (R-KY) has requested testimony from former Social Security Administration (SSA) chief Martin O’Malley regarding telework policies implemented during his tenure. Comer sent a formal letter inviting O’Malley to speak about the telework standards he set for the agency shortly before stepping down from his role.
The focus of the hearing will be the growing concerns over SSA productivity and delays, which Comer attributes to an increase in telework hours. The SSA employs 58,785 individuals, most of whom are eligible for telework. However, Comer alleges in his letter that this privilege is being abused, citing a report from the Biden administration indicating that SSA employees spend less than half their working hours in the office.
“This failure to show up runs parallel to failures at SSA to accomplish its mission,” Comer wrote. He pointed to worsening service levels, noting that disability determination processing times have increased since fiscal year 2020. Comer’s criticism comes amid broader discussions on telework’s impact on federal agency performance.
The issue of telework has been a contentious one for the SSA. In October 2019, then-President Donald Trump curtailed telework privileges for certain SSA employees, citing lagging service delivery. However, the Biden administration reversed those policies, re-expanding telework opportunities for federal employees.
O’Malley, who signed an agreement with the American Federation of Government Employees just before leaving his position, guaranteed a minimum level of telework hours for 42,000 SSA employees through 2029. Comer questioned the timing and motivation behind this agreement, as it was finalized days before O’Malley announced his bid for chairman of the Democratic National Committee.
“Your motive for signing such an agreement is unclear, nor is it clear why the public interest is served by having a departing official of a lame-duck administration determine the work arrangements at an agency for years after he is gone,” Comer wrote. “Democracy is best served when an incoming, duly elected president and their appointees are empowered to manage the workforce they oversee.”
Comer’s scrutiny of the SSA’s telework policies is part of a larger push to hold federal agencies accountable. On December 6, Comer and incoming Department of Government Efficiency Subcommittee Chairwoman Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) sent letters to 24 federal agencies, including the SSA, urging them to halt actions intended to “Trump-proof” their operations. These efforts, Comer argued, undermine the ability of future administrations to make necessary changes.
As the Oversight Committee gears up for the next legislative session, Comer has pledged to collaborate with President Trump on initiatives to empower the Department of Government Efficiency. The committee’s agenda includes holding the federal workforce accountable, advancing regulatory reforms, and addressing waste, fraud, and abuse.
The upcoming hearing with O’Malley is expected to shed light on the challenges and controversies surrounding telework policies at the SSA and their broader implications for federal workforce management.
