Any Reasonable Accommodations being approved for telework?

[Anonymous]

I am at an agency under DHS. So far, everyone I know who applied for an RA to remain remote has either been denied (or given alternative accommodation) or is still pending.

Two years ago I accepted a remote position, but likely would have stayed at my old job location if I had known we would be RTO 5 days a week. I am now spending nearly 3 hours a day commuting, and having a lot of difficulty managing several health conditions, with new health problems popping up directly as a result of RTO and 3+ hours commuting every day.

For the trolls, I have lived in the same place since 2015, did NOT move further out, and accepted a job that was fully remote, not just liberal telework during Covid. I am looking for a new job but not feeling optimistic due to the numbers. They are obviously trying to squeeze us out and if my teens were either younger or grown I would leave in an instant, but can’t do that now with them in HS and they have already suffered enough upheavals in the last few years.

Are telework RAs being approved at all? I applied for partial TW but was denied and from what I’m hearing from people is that they are denying or just keeping them pending for some reason.

Now that I’m experiencing worsening health, I want to apply again. I thought I was being smart to focus on one health issue with my first RA request, but now realize I may need to pull out all the stops and document ALL of them. But since I’ve already RTO they will be in no hurry to process it, that I know.

[Anonymous]

I was told they (DOGE) RIF'd the HR people assigned to review, vet, and (dis)approve accommodations, so everything is sitting. Completely stagnant and unreviewed.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I was told they (DOGE) RIF'd the HR people assigned to review, vet, and (dis)approve accommodations, so everything is sitting. Completely stagnant and unreviewed.

I'm hearing the same thing. People are allowed to telework while the approval is pending. So nobody is being forced to sell their house and move to DC...yet.

[Anonymous]

Mine was denied and I am a cancer patient with a heart condition.

[Anonymous]

One woman in my office had to have a mastectomy due to breast cancer and they were giving her a hard time about it. I do believe it was ultimately approved for a short period.

[Anonymous]

Can anyone recommend an attorney who can help appeal denial of reasonable accommodation?

[Anonymous]

Mine was denied by an anonymous person from a generic email box. Our entire department who processes these was put on admin leave, so I don’t even know who I am supposed to engage with on the “interactive process.” There has been no interactive process or offer to have one. ADA is being completely ignored and disregarded. I have had a reasonable accommodation for three years due to health conditions and nothing has changed. Yet now my request was denied.

[Anonymous]

My husband was talking to the person that does these at his agency and was told that they will be working to reasonably accommodate people IN the office - so whatever the issue is they will work to seeing that the person stays in office and then say has breaks or whatever might be needed. It’s not going to automatically be at home work anymore.

[Anonymous]

We have someone that has had multiple back surgeries and they got an RA where they only come in once per week.

Someone else got one for a few months. This person had a baby in the last year but I don't know her exact issue and whether that issue is a post pregnancy issue or something else.

[Anonymous]

I have had a reasonable accommodation in place for three years and it was just essentially denied when I applied for a continuance. There was no dialogue or discussion about it. No interactive process to find a compromise. When I asked for the interactive process point of contact an “anonymous” email account said that the interactive process took place when I submitted my materials and medical records and they reviewed them and made their decision. I have no idea who made the decision bc it’s all anonymous. How is this legal? This is violating the ADA clearly, but there’s no recourse because every reconsideration request has been denied according to the union rep.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have had a reasonable accommodation in place for three years and it was just essentially denied when I applied for a continuance. There was no dialogue or discussion about it. No interactive process to find a compromise. When I asked for the interactive process point of contact an “anonymous” email account said that the interactive process took place when I submitted my materials and medical records and they reviewed them and made their decision. I have no idea who made the decision bc it’s all anonymous. How is this legal? This is violating the ADA clearly, but there’s no recourse because every reconsideration request has been denied according to the union rep.

At this point the recourse is a law suite. Here's a firm:
https://browngold.com/practice-areas/civil-rights/disability-rights/

Andy Levy is a bulldog

https://browngold.com/people/andy-levy/

[Anonymous]

I read on the reddit fednews board to be careful with the wording in your request.

If you say, I have bad back issues and can't commute 2 hours a day, let me work from home - well if they decline your request they can turn around and fire you for not being able to effectively do your job.

But if you say, I need a stand up desk to lessen my back pain, you are essentially saying I can still do my job, but it would be easier if I had this accommodation.

They said make sure your doctor's wording uses things like this RA would help improve their condition, not this RA is mandatory for the patient to keep doing their job.

Fednews is also reporting very few RAs are being approved.