14-02-2025
Will Trump's return to in-person work order impact those in the Ascend WV Program?
MORGANTOWN, (WBOY) — President Donald Trump's return to in-person work order for federal employees might impact participants in the Ascend West Virginia Program.
President Trump issued the executive memorandum on his first day in office, Jan. 20, requiring employees of all departments and agencies in the executive branch of government to return to work in-person at their respective duty stations full-time.
Ascend West Virginia is a partnership between the West Virginia Department of Tourism and West Virginia University, which offers remote workers a $12,000 cash incentive over the course of two years if they agree to relocate to West Virginia.
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According to the Ascend WV website, there are 406 people, known within the program as 'Ascenders', participating from several private and public-sector employers, including the United State Department of Agriculture and NASA.
12 News contacted Ascend West Virginia officials for a comment and received the following from Dr. Danny Twilley, the Assistant Vice President of Economic, Community and Asset Development at WVU:
'We have reached out to our Ascenders to learn more about how the 'Return to In-Person Work' Executive Order is impacting their and/or immediate family's job. We are still learning specifics from our Ascend community so we can better understand how to support them, if they choose, to stay in West Virginia.'
12 News is working to obtain a more specific count of how many participants are federal employees who may be affected by the President's order.
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