Waterford Today

Matt Maddock, state representative for Michigan House District 51, said that excessive remote work among state employees is causing significant taxpayer waste due to underutilized office space. He encouraged public attention to a hearing on federal spending oversight. The statement was made on X.

"85% of all Michigan gov workers are still at home," said Maddock, Michigan State Representative for 51st District (R). "We have hundreds of thousands of square feet and dozens of empty offices we are paying hundreds of millions for. Gretchen Whitmer is protecting her peeps keeping them cozy home. We're working to pull back the curtain on waste, fraud, and abuse."

Since the COVID-19 pandemic, Michigan state agencies have adopted flexible remote work policies, allowing each department to determine suitable arrangements based on operational needs. According to guidelines from the Office of the State Employer, agencies have discretion in approving remote work by considering factors like job duties and equipment availability. As of early 2023, most state government workers follow hybrid schedules that combine in-person and remote work, with some departments operating fully remotely. This decentralized approach aims to balance employee flexibility with departmental efficiency.

In 2023, over half of Michigan state employees worked remotely, with some departments fully remote and others requiring in-office presence two to three days per week. The executive office had all 68 members working remotely. However, it remains challenging to determine if remote work results in taxpayer savings because each department sets its own policy and comprehensive cost analyses are lacking.

Since 2020, federal agencies have faced challenges in determining office space needs. The General Services Administration (GSA) has been testing methods to track daily occupancy data. The federal government's office spaces cost billions annually to lease, operate, and maintain; even before the pandemic, agencies struggled to assess their actual space requirements. Efforts are ongoing to provide clarity on current and future space needs.

Maddock has represented Michigan's 51st House District since January 1, 2023, after winning re-election in November 2024. His district includes parts of Oakland County. He has served as Chairman of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Transportation and the Joint Committee on Administrative Rules.