FDA staff return to crowded offices, broken equipment and missing chairs

WTOP News (Washington DC) ^ | 17 March 2025 | Associated Press

[COBOL2Java]

WASHINGTON (AP) — Thousands of employees returned to the Food and Drug Administration’s headquarters Monday to find overflowing parking lots, long security lines and makeshift office spaces without chairs and other basic supplies.

The FDA is the latest agency scrambling to meet the Trump administration’s return-to-office mandate, part of a flurry of actions — including firings and buyouts — intended to radically shrink the federal workforce. Monday was the first day that all rank-and-file FDA staffers were required to report to offices, including the agency’s 130-acre campus just outside Washington.

The Associated Press spoke with more than a half-dozen FDA staffers who described long lines to park and clear security, followed by hours of hunting for space and supplies in offices that were not designed to accommodate the agency’s full workforce. The staffers spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak with the media.

One staffer described “chaos and lost work hours” for commuting, security lines and shuffled office space.

[JennysCool]

Poor babies.

If they don’t like it, there are a lot of people out there who would love their jobs.

[Scrambler Bob]

followed by hours of hunting for space and supplies in offices that were not designed to accommodate the agency’s full workforce.
= = =

???

So the ‘full workforce’ never reported before now?

[Skwor]

And what was it like before you got to stop working in 2022?

[Nervous Tick]

>> And what was it like before you got to stop working in 2022?

Heck, they helped to ENGINEER the whole social isolation work-from-home boondoggle! Cry me a river FDA!

[P-Marlowe]

Whoever isn’t seated at their desk by 9 AM is fired.

[goodnesswins]

Musical chairs at the FDA...HAHAHA

[Governor Dinwiddie]

They don't need chairs. Most of us have had jobs where we were on our feet all day long, in all kinds of weather, freezing to boiling. No sympathy. I'd just make them stand all day long, whether they like it or not. Sit down and you are fired.

[TornadoAlley3]

They stole the chairs and supplies to work from home. Probably desks too. They deserved that you know.

[TornadoAlley3]

Too many cars for the lot, fire the overflow.

[Pilsner]

Am I the only one who reads these stories and thinks of the Sopranos episode where Tony, having been advised by his lawyer to at least pretend to be a legitimate businessman, shows up the garbage hauling firm that has him on the payroll, and finds out that, not having been in for five years, his office has become a storage room?

[Huskrrrr]

Sounds like some offices I worked in. Suck it up, Buttercups.

[stars & stripes forever]

[Too many cars for the lot, fire the overflow.]

Carpool. Take a bus, Uber, taxi, or train.

[technically right]

Emblematic of the Federal Government in general.

[FlingWingFlyer]

Crowded office would indicate that they’re way over the number of employees they are supposed to have. Time for a RIF. Screw the “media” sob stories of suicidal weirdos with PTSD.

[rx]

With fresh USAID money flowing in during and after COVID, the grift likely went out to many fresh, infiltrating DEI hires.

One wonders what percentage of these FDA’ers have been turning satisfactory work-progress reports acceptable to capable supervisors.

[DoodleBob]

The Associated Press spoke with more than a half-dozen FDA staffers who described long lines to park and clear security, followed by hours of hunting for space and supplies in offices that were not designed to accommodate the agency’s full workforce.

I’m calling BS in the anonymous staffers.

I go to my office. I love it there. I also love working from home.

But nowadays, everything is done on a computer.

As such, who in the Wide World of Sports would spend “hours…hunting for…supplies”?

[T-Bird45]

Sounds like a new DOGE target should be the Property Book Officer who failed to properly account for the fixtures & furniture.

[metmom]

One staffer described “chaos and lost work hours” for commuting, security lines and shuffled office space.

Lost work hours? From a federal employee who probably does close to none in the first place?

What a joke!

[TheLooseThread]

Sounds like the managers should be fired. More savings!