Republican Sen. Joni Ernst is demanding an audit into every Cabinet secretary's work from home schedule after Biden's Defense Sec. Lloyd Austin's secret hospitalization raised questions about the administration's work from home policies.

The defense secretary was  on Monday after 15 days of recovery after a surgery for prostate on December 22. 

After he was admitted to the hospital due to complications on January 1, he didn't tell President Biden of his whereabouts until three days later. 

It also came to light that the president wasn't aware that Austin was under general anesthesia during the initial surgery and Austin's staff believed he was simply working from home the week of the procedure.

Now, Ernst is raising questions about the frequency of Cabinet heads working from home after Austin went 'AWOL' for days.

She wrote a letter to OMB Director Shalanda Young on Tuesday first obtained by DailyMail.com asking about the 'frequency' of Austin's work from home schedule. 

'Is Secretary Austin working from home so frequently that he can disappear into the hospital for an entire week to undergo invasive surgery, and folks simply just think he’s working from home again?' she inquired. 

Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin was seen in a zoom meeting - his first public appearance since his secret hospitalization

The senator is demanding that 'every agency and department head' publish their schedule online

'When department secretaries do work from home, are they as nonresponsive as someone under general anesthesia?' Ernst continued. 

The senator is demanding that 'every agency and department head' publish their schedule online. 

She also says the administration should 'redouble' efforts to get federal workers back in the office. 

'That should include agency leadership as well,' Ernst adds in the letter to Young.

OMB wrote to all agencies in April 2023 stating that the 'expectation' is that they would increase in-person work at federal offices. 

'Now, nine months later, most agencies still haven’t listened,' accused Ernst.

Last week, Biden's Chief of Staff Jeffrey Zients reportedly ordered Cabinet heads to ensure that their workforce returns to the office this year. 

According to a memo obtained by Axios, he wrote that federal employees should be in the office at least 50 percent of their work time in order to 'achieve' the goals of the administration.

The memo comes weeks after a bombshell report revealed that all federal agencies are less than 50 percent occupied -

- over a year after President Biden declared the COVID-19 pandemic over.

According to a Government Accountability Office (GAO) memo obtained by DailyMail.com, not a single federal agency has over half of its workforce in the office.

That's a staggering statistic since federal agencies spend about $2 billion taxpayer dollars per year to operate and maintain federal office buildings - and over $5 billion annually in leases.

Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin was

Austin, 70, appeared virtually and from home during a meeting on needs, appearing on a zoom call with stakeholders.

He appeared gaunt as he sat in front of a white wall with what appeared to be a security system keypad on his left and a Department of Defense seal on the right.

Small U.S. and Ukraine flags were visible. 

The defense secretary skipped over prepared remarks that would have addressed his health, according to Reuters.

'I urge this group to dig deep to provide Ukraine with more lifesaving ground-based air defense systems and interceptors,' Austin said in his opening remarks. 

Biden stood by his defense secretary but did admonish him for a lapse in judgement

Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin participated in a zoom meeting on Ukraine

Austin's appeal to 50 other countries on the call to give money to the Ukraine came as the administration is waiting for Congress to pass a budget and potentially approve more money for Ukraine´s fight.

Until then the U.S. is looking to its allies to continue the funding fight.

Austin's complications included 'nausea with severe abdominal, leg and hip pain.' The early diagnosis was a  but further examination showed Austin had a fluid build up in his abdomen that was impairing the function of his small intestines. 

Democrats and Republicans alike blasted Austin for the secrecy. Some called for his resignation.

Biden stood by his defense secretary but did admonish him for a lapse in judgement. 

The White House is conducting a review of the matter. Chief of Staff Jeffrey Zients sent a memo to Cabinet secretaries, ordering them to keep the White House informed when they may not be able to perform their duties.

Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, 70, was hospitalized on January 1 and released on January 15th. He is pictured December 20 in this most recent pic 

Secretary Austin was treated at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center

The Pentagon's inspector general also is investigating the mishandling of  Austin's secret hospitalization.

Eight in ten men and six in ten black men are diagnosed with prostate cancer every year. The risk grows for men as they age. It is the most common cancer among men in the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The 5-year relative survival rate for prostate cancer in the United States is 97%. 

Austin will work from home as his recovery continues. 

He will have to do physical therapy and regular follow ups but is expected to make a full recovery, his doctors said.

He needs no further treatment for his cancer.

'I'm grateful for the excellent care I received at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center and want to thank the outstanding doctors and nursing staff for their professionalism and superb support,' Austin said in a statement. 

'Now, as I continue to recuperate and perform my duties from home, I'm eager to fully recover and return as quickly as possible to the Pentagon,' he said.