WASHINGTON (AP) — Some federal workers back on the job Thursday morning were getting a personal welcome from Vice President Joe Biden.

Biden greeted employees returning to the Environmental Protection Agency headquarters. Just a few blocks away at the White House, a smiling chief of staff Denis McDonough stood at an entrance to shake hands with returning aides.

About three-quarters of White House workers and nearly all EPA employees were told to stay home during the 16-day federal government shutdown. They returned to the job Thursday after Congress reached a budget agreement.

The EPA workers also got a welcome back memo from newly confirmed EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy. Among other things, it reminded them to remove "out of office" messages from email and voicemail.


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