Official Time Reporting Act

H.R. 5749 would require the Office of Personnel Management to submit annual reports to Congress detailing how federal employees use official time. Official time is paid time off from assigned government duties to represent labor unions. The bill would require reports to include information on the types of union activities conducted, total compensation paid for official time, locations where activities occur, and details about government facilities provided to unions. The Congressional Budget Office estimates implementation would cost less than $500,000 annually. The bill has passed committee review and is eligible for a floor vote. Supporters argue it would increase transparency in how taxpayer funds are used for union representation activities. Labor unions and federal employee organizations oppose the measure, contending it would burden agencies with excessive reporting requirements and weaken federal sector unions without providing comparable information about management's labor relations costs.