Trump’s Complicated Effect on the Office Market

President Trump has issued a flurry of executive orders since taking office, some potentially affecting the stalled return of public and private workers to offices. Last month, his administration introduced this action: “Heads of all departments and agencies in the executive branch of Government shall, as soon as practicable, take all necessary steps to terminate remote work arrangements and require employees to return to work in-person at their respective duty stations on a full-time basis, provided that the department and agency heads shall make exemptions they deem necessary.”

On February 10th, the federal employee return-to-work order took effect, disrupting schedules for many federal workers and causing traffic issues in cities like Washington, D.C. Beyond the inconvenience, it may set a precedent for the rest of the country, where remote workers have grown accustomed to working from home while employers push for a return to the office for various reasons...