DNC staff slam ‘callous’ return-to-office rule leading to online mockery

Democratic National Committee staffers were mercilessly ridiculed this week after news emerged that employees were extremely unhappy with Democratic National Committee Chairman Ken Martin’s recent directive to end remote work for employees who will now be required to come into the office five days a week.

The leadership of the union representing DNC employees issued a statement following news of the new directive, calling it “draconian.” Reports from staff-level call participants also described an immediate flurry of thumbs-up emojis and other signs of anger upon hearing news of the new requirement.

“It was shocking to see the Chairman of the Democratic National Committee dismiss staff’s legitimate concerns about today’s panel call,” they wrote. “Democratic National Committee staff worked hard to support Democrats’ historic victories up and down the ballot last Tuesday, and this change seems especially harsh given the current economic conditions created by the Trump administration.” Martin reportedly told employees that if they didn’t like the new policy, they should look for a job elsewhere.

Martin wasn’t the only Democrat to have some harsh words for Democratic Party staffers. Neera Tanden, a domestic policy adviser to former President Joe Biden, had a similar message for DNC staffers, suggesting that there are many eager people waiting in line who are likely more willing to go to the office.

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“If you think democracy is at stake, working in office is no big deal. There are plenty of other people ready to step up. Get yourselves together, people,” Tanden wrote in a post on X.

A left-wing group, the Center for Neoliberalism, echoed the view that employees “should look elsewhere” if working from home is “a must”.

“When you accept a job on a campaign, or with an organization like the DNC, DCCC, etc., your only goal is to win elections. It is a hard job that requires long hours and sacrifices,” the group wrote on X. “The other part of this is that I think… [work from home] Employees are likely missing out on opportunities for themselves by not being in the office. Campaigns require a lot of personal sacrifices, but people who are good at their jobs and work to get attention in the office tend to go on to do big things!

Steve Schaal, a Florida-based Democratic strategist who led Barack Obama’s statewide efforts in Florida in 2008 and returned to help with his 2012 campaign, said the Democratic National Committee should implement a “requirement” to ensure those who want to work for the DNC really have what it takes.

“It should be a requirement to work for the DNC that you have done at least two tours of an actual battlefield campaign, where there are no terms like flexible hours and hybrid work,” Shalley wrote on X.

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A man walks in front of the Democratic National Committee headquarters in Washington, DC (Photo by Kevin Deitch/Getty Images)

On the other hand, Republicans did not spare the opportunity to criticize Democratic Party workers as well.

“You can’t make this up — the Democratic Party union is angry about the president calling staff into the office 5 days a week,” Sean Spicer, a former White House press secretary under Trump, said after learning of the outrage. GOP strategist Matt Gorman quipped that the image of Democratic National Committee staffers logging into a Zoom call in their pajamas amid all the chaos following Biden’s reelection is “ridiculous.”

“The best part is that they still have a full two months before they actually have to get out of bed 5 days a week,” said GOP National Press Secretary Kirsten Bales. “Is this a political committee or a nursery?”

Martin reportedly told his staff that the work-from-home policy implemented by the Democratic National Committee during the coronavirus was never meant to be permanent, calling it a “band-aid” that long needed to be peeled off. However, he said remote work will still be allowed on a case-by-case basis.

Neera Tanden, a senior adviser to former President Joe Biden in the White House, was among those Democrats who criticized Democratic National Committee staffers for being upset about having to return to the office full time, rather than working remotely. (Chandan Khanna/AFP via Getty Images)

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The Employees Union said it is examining all options regarding appealing this measure. The group previously ratified a collective bargaining agreement with the DNC over the summer that “reaffirms its commitment to enabling hybrid work,” but also includes language allowing a full return to in-person work as long as there is a 60-day notice period, according to the New York Times.

Earlier this year, the Congressional Progressive Staff Association sent a letter to top House and Senate leaders proposing a rotating 32-hour work week for congressional staff, arguing it would be a “more sustainable approach to working at the national level.”

However, this proposal was widely ridiculed.

“Why not be bold and demand a 0-hour work week?” Rep. Richie Torres, D-N.Y., quipped at the time. “I wonder how blue-collar Americans would feel about white-collar workers demanding a 32-hour workweek.”