Amid Trump's Funding Cuts, NASA Shelves WFH Policy At Jet Propulsion Lab

Amid the planned funding cuts by the Donald Trump administration, NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) has ordered its more than 5,500 hybrid and telework employees to return to a full on-site work schedule. The move officially ends the work-from-home culture at JPL, which had been a fixture at the Pasadena, California lab since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.

In an email to employees, the director's office stated that general telework employees will have until August 25 to fully return to their assigned work location. Meanwhile, remote telework employees, both in and outside of California, will have until Monday, October 27.

"We are likely facing a very tough budget environment. This is a time to have all hands on deck and to do everything we can to ensure the best possible future for the Lab," read the email.

"We weighed this decision carefully. As we return, we will focus on cultivating relationship-building, mentoring, spontaneous interactions, and real-time problem-solving, all of which drive our most innovative work and will prepare us to meet the demands of today's dynamic environment."

The mandate made it clear that exceptions to the directive will be extremely rare and need to be approved by managers, director and a small committee of lab leadership.

"We may make time-limited exceptions for employees 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."

Employees at JPL have until July 20 to indicate whether they intend to return to in-office work, or ostensibly quit their jobs.

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Trump's planned funding cuts

The decision comes in the backdrop of NASA facing a potential 25 per cent reduction in funds via the current administration's 2026 "skinny budget" request. The cuts could affect key space programmes, many of which are run by JPL -- NASA's lead centre for robotic planetary exploration

JPL has been going through a tumultuous period since last year. In February and November 2024, the agency dismissed more than 12 per cent of its workforce, or approximately 855 employees. At the time, the lab cited funding shortfalls, tied to the Mars Sample Return mission, which the 2026 budget proposal cancels outright.