NASA’s Jet Propulsion Lab ends remote work
NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) informed its employees that they must now work onsite full-time.
According to a report from Space.com, this “effectively ends remote work at JPL, which had been a fixture at the Pasadena, California lab since the pandemic.”
JPL has almost 5,500 employees, and many are currently in hybrid or fully remote roles.
JPL leaders wrote, “Employees who do not return by their required date will be considered to have resigned.”
The new policy requires “General telework employees” to return to on-site work by August 25, 2025. Remote telework employees must comply by October 27, 2025. Employees who do not return by their respective deadlines will be considered to have resigned, without eligibility for post-employment benefits or unemployment claims. All employees must inform JPL by July 20 if they intend to return.
Some exceptions may be given, but JPL stated those would be “extremely rare.” Time-limited exceptions may also be granted for those who “intend to relocate or return fully onsite but require additional time to do so due to extenuating circumstances, such as being impacted by the recent fires.”
JPL also added that some flexible work benefits would remain. This includes perks such as “up to two weeks of remote work from anywhere in the U.S. annually, and incidental telework.”
Silent Layoff
A NASA employee told Space.com, “It’s clear that it’s a silent layoff of the over 1,000 remote employees who they don’t want to pay severance to.” Additionally, many employees are reportedly worried about having enough available space on-site to work in or park their cars.
The policy change follows the departure of JPL Director Laurie Leshin, who announced she is stepping down effective June 1, 2025. Leshin co-authored the employee-wide email with incoming Director Dave Gallagher. JPL officials stated that the decision was made internally and not directed by NASA.
This change also comes as NASA faces uncertainty over proposed budget cuts. JPL also laid off over 800 employees last year due to “budgetary concerns and funding shortfalls.”
JPL is a federally funded research and development lab managed by the California Institute of Technology (Caltech).
Read the full JPL email here.
