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Commentary: Remote Work Empowers Rural Workforce and Strengthens Federal Government [1]
['Christopher Chavis', 'The Daily Yonder', '.Wp-Block-Co-Authors-Plus-Coauthors.Is-Layout-Flow', 'Class', 'Wp-Block-Co-Authors-Plus', 'Display Inline', '.Wp-Block-Co-Authors-Plus-Avatar', 'Where Img', 'Height Auto Max-Width', 'Vertical-Align Bottom .Wp-Block-Co-Authors-Plus-Coauthors.Is-Layout-Flow .Wp-Block-Co-Authors-Plus-Avatar']
Date: 2025-03-04
On January 20th, 2025, President Donald Trump issued an order directing federal agencies to terminate remote work arrangements and mandate employees return to their “respective duty stations.” It ended a massive shift towards remote workforce, largely brought about by the Covid-19 pandemic.
This decision is both a mistake and a contradiction of President Trump’s promise to “drain the swamp” and “return power to the American people.” Rather than curbing remote work, the federal government should be embracing it as a tool for decentralizing power and empowering rural communities.
Federal employees, especially those in management and other decision-making roles, should be representative of the people that they serve. Most federal agencies are headquartered in the Washington, D.C. metro area with field offices in other metropolitan areas. Remote work made it possible for individuals in rural areas to take on roles previously limited to urban centers, thus giving them greater influence within the federal bureaucracy.
Remote work has also broken down traditional geographic barriers to collaboration. We no longer need to be in the same room to have a face-to-face conversation or share documents. A person in Claremont, New Hampshire, can work in real-time with someone in Claremont, California. This means that people from both urban and rural communities can collaborate seamlessly, bringing diverse perspectives to the table.
Rural representation is not just about geographic diversity; it also has tangible benefits. When a rural non-profit or local government applies for a federal grant, having someone with lived experience in rural spaces as part of the review process ensures the grant is designed to meet their unique challenges. If difficulties arise during project implementation, rural employees who understand rural communities can offer advice and support, making federal programs more effective and responsive.
There are also economic benefits for rural communities. As Vermont Digger noted in January 2025, remote workers in Vermont, a predominantly rural state, have a higher income than people who do not work remotely. This is money that would flow directly into rural economies, which would stimulate business growth and benefit everyone in the community. Remote work also provides young, educated people in rural areas with the opportunity to stay in their communities and pursue fulfilling careers, preventing the “brain drain” that often sees them moving to urban centers for better opportunities.
There is also the issue of fairness. Many people applied to jobs that were advertised as fully remote and accepted those positions with the understanding that this would remain the case into perpetuity. Those same people are now being asked to uproot their entire lives and move to a city in which they do not have community ties or a desire to live.
From what I have heard anecdotally, this is an impossible decision. Relocating means that you get to continue serving your country but it also means that your spouse may have to find a new job and your children will have to leave family and friends behind. It means leaving behind your support system.
For people who took roles that allow them to combine their professional and lived experiences, such as a person who directly serves rural and Tribal communities, it means leaving the people you serve in to sit in a cubicle that is hundreds, if not thousands, of miles away from them.
To ensure that rural people have a voice in the federal bureaucracy, President Trump should reverse course and rescind his “Return to Work” order.
He should also call on Congress to adequately fund rural broadband infrastructure and eliminate barriers to access. Many rural areas still lack reliable high-speed internet, making remote work a non-option for some. Congress must step up its efforts to fund broadband expansion and ensure that all Americans, regardless of location, have access to the tools they need to participate in the modern workforce.
Christopher Chavis grew up in rural Robeson County, North Carolina, and is a frequent writer and speaker on baseball history and rural access-to-justice issues. He is a citizen of the Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina.
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