Telework has become a bit of a Feds-gone-wild situation under President Biden, according to a new Senate report that says government workers have been caught taking bubble baths, drinking and driving or getting medical treatment — all while they were supposed to be on the clock.

One Social Security employee was running his side business while he was supposed to be doing telework, said Sen. Joni Ernst, an Iowa Republican who has been studying the issue and demanding fixes.

She said that employee had his mother and his wife access his Social Security computer system to record time on duty and cover for the fact that he was running his business.

Ms. Ernst said one Agriculture Department employee told her that colleagues saw working from home as “like being on vacation.”

“Very little work was assigned, and all they had to do was be available by phone,” that food inspection service employee said.

The no-shows have emptied out federal buildings, leaving the government to ponder what to do with the vacant offices. But agencies are reluctant to give up their space.

Officials justify their decisions by saying they want to be prepared in case the workers come back, but government investigators said the agencies are often just as worried about losing prestige if they give up real estate.

Ms. Ernst said the generous telework policies are in place even as Americans struggle to reach government employees.

She pointed to reports from veterans who said their calls for mental health appointments went unanswered.

One soldier who worked on Black Hawk helicopters for the Army spent years trying to schedule appointments. When he finally got a therapist, she “spent the appointment singing the praises of remote work with her cat draped around her neck,” the senator reported.

She also said she’s heard complaints about Iowa constituents who couldn’t get Social Security on the phone — even as the agency’s commissioner told her that Iowans were getting some of the best service in the country.

“I shudder to think what may be happening elsewhere,” Ms. Ernst said in her report.

She said there’s even become a perverse arms race among agencies to offer the best remote work policies. Social Security said it was struggling to compete with the Veterans Affairs Department, which was recruiting away employees by offering better telework opportunities.

“While teleworking may be allowing VA employees to live their best lives, it’s a disservice to the vets the department exists to serve,” Ms. Ernst said.

• Stephen Dinan can be reached at sdinan@washingtontimes.com.