Federal Bureau of Prisons’ Internal Plan Unveiled

Bernd Pulch BERND PULCH, DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE, LEAKS, ORIGINAL DOCUMENTS February 25, 2026February 25, 2026 2 Minutes

PUBLIC REPORT

The BOP Return-to-Office Directive

(Public Version — Full Exclusive Report for supporters at: https://patreon.com/berndpulch)

Introduction

A newly obtained FOIA release sheds light on the Federal Bureau of Prisons’ (BOP) internal plan to comply with a government-wide mandate requiring federal employees to return to in-person work in early 2025.
This public summary outlines the key operational details, deadlines, and organizational impacts contained in the document.

The full Above Top Secret–style investigative dossier is available exclusively for supporters at:
👉 https://patreon.com/berndpulch

1. What Triggered the Return-to-Office Order?

According to the FOIA document, BOP leadership received direction to comply with a Presidential memorandum mandating a full five-day in-office schedule for eligible employees.

Deadlines shifted during implementation:

Feb 10, 2025 — initial target
Feb 18, 2025 — updated return date due to operational and union constraints
Feb 24, 2025 — final compliance deadline

The document emphasizes that BOP was expected to meet all requirements within a compressed timeframe.

2. Union Notification and Rapid Negotiations

On January 24, 2025, BOP notified:

The National Council of Prison Locals
Local 3546 (Central Office)

The union invoked its right to bargain, but the internal plan makes clear that negotiations were expected to conclude within mere days to meet the mandated return date.

3. Telework Program Suspended

A key detail from the FOIA release:
BOP revoked its internal telework policy by issuing a waiver rescinding Program Statement 3630.02, Section 3 (Telework).

From that point forward:

BOP must follow updated Department of Justice and OPM telework/remote-work guidance
BOP’s independent telework framework was effectively dissolved

This marks one of the agency’s most significant administrative shifts since the pandemic.

4. The 50-Mile Rule for Employee Duty Stations

The plan outlines how BOP handled employees living far from federal facilities:

Staff within 50 miles of a BOP facility must report there.
Staff beyond 50 miles are evaluated case-by-case, with possible assignments to other DOJ or federal buildings.
The document acknowledges that relocation costs may be required if no office can be found in commuting range.

This reveals operational challenges largely unseen by the public.

5. Risks Highlighted Inside the FOIA Document

Identified concerns included:

Lack of available federal office space
Potential increased costs due to inter-agency agreements
The possibility of employee relocations
Union negotiations impacting timelines

These risks indicate that compliance was expected to be difficult, but non-negotiable.

6. Exception Handling

The FOIA document identifies only two formal exemption categories:

Disability
Qualifying medical conditions

Other “compelling need” exceptions require direct Department of Justice review.

This confirms that exemptions were intended to be rare and tightly controlled.

Conclusion (Public Version)

The FOIA-released Return-to-Office plan reveals a rapid, top-down federal realignment forcing BOP staff back into physical offices on an accelerated schedule.
It shows internal pressure, policy reversals, and a sweeping restructuring of remote and telework arrangements.

The full investigative, classified-style version containing deeper analysis, reconstructed timelines, and hidden structural implications is available here:

👉 https://patreon.com/berndpulch

Bernd Pulch — Bio

Published February 25, 2026February 25, 2026