You are seriously ill-informed. Very few people working in medicine make as much, let alone more, than software developers. Many software developers even make more than primary care physicians!

And national defense? You have to be kidding me! Software developers live like kings compared to those defending the country. First responders in general are in the same boat. Most of them would love to make the money an entry-level software developer makes!

As far as being ordered back to the office, it's been nearly four years since everybody was sent home. Many employees have been hired since that time. "Return to the office" is a change in the employment contract. Many states, though not all, prohibit termination due to a post facto change in the employment contract.

But don't expect the people I mentioned above to cry about our having to return to the office. What we should be doing is pointing out to them that our WFH is making their commute easier, lowers their car insurance premiums, improves their air quality - in other words, how it benefits them.

My friend almost got Hepatitis C, because he was trying to save someone's life. My other friend got Covid during the pandemic, because he was trying to save lives in an emergency department.

My career isn't over, because I broke my hand too many times and I can't lift a 14 inch skillet. I have heat, because I make more than $12.00 an hour. I have health insurance (I'm American).

Yeah, I count myself really lucky.

On an unrelated note, I've had a former coworker who lived in the UK and was contracting to mostly US companies for this exact reason.