Board of Veterans Appeals (Attorney Advisor)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They specified they want everyone in the office five days per week. No remote or telework. Possibly no alternate work schedules.

Which will result in increased salaries (due to DC area locality pay), increased costs due to space requirements (buildings, leases, services, increased cost for staffing for security, increased overhead (electricity, equipment, water, etc), and decreased work efficiency (because people don't work at work, they talk). Overall, it will fail miserably.

The increased expenses can be offset by increasing the quota at the Board to six cases a week.

Good joke. Now go sit an in corner. haha.

[Anonymous]

So when they talk about RTO for all 5 days per week, does this include the VLJs? What’s the theoretical plan for those of us who live out of state? I’m a newer AA (GS-12) and know cohorts all over the U.S., including AK/HI. Do we set up office at the closest RO? I’d probably be the only BVA person at that office if so. Move? Lol, I own a home and have a life here. Get remote RAs?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:So when they talk about RTO for all 5 days per week, does this include the VLJs? What’s the theoretical plan for those of us who live out of state? I’m a newer AA (GS-12) and know cohorts all over the U.S., including AK/HI. Do we set up office at the closest RO? I’d probably be the only BVA person at that office if so. Move? Lol, I own a home and have a life here. Get remote RAs?

These are really good questions. It remains unclear how we would all return to the office. The people in the office at 425 Eye Street received instructions to vacate their offices by the second week of December.
BVA is giving up the fourth floor, so there will not be enough space at 425 Eye Street in the current plan.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:So when they talk about RTO for all 5 days per week, does this include the VLJs? What’s the theoretical plan for those of us who live out of state? I’m a newer AA (GS-12) and know cohorts all over the U.S., including AK/HI. Do we set up office at the closest RO? I’d probably be the only BVA person at that office if so. Move? Lol, I own a home and have a life here. Get remote RAs?

No one knows (and to note that there are also people overseas as military spouses who work with the Board). I don't even think the dingleberries running their mouths understand what they are saying. Theory and practicality are two different things. It's one thing to say we are sending humans to Mars by 2026 and it is a different thing to actually do it. And we are nowhere near getting to mars.

Congress will have to answer to constituents if things look bad. So much does not make sense with the theories they have. In fact, no one has even discussed the cost v benefit analysis of their thoughts. If the proposed congressional subcommittee does its job, i.e., looks at facts and real data (as opposed to political manipulation), I anticipate them realizing that it will increase costs overall, and at best, there may be a minuscule amount of savings if people leave, which will be nothing but a drop in the bucket on the macro scale, which no one will care about. I would expect years of testimony on the matter form labor experts, congress people, gov employees, heads of agencies, labor unions, etc.... One projection I read said employee salaries are 4% of the overall government budget. You think they can cut billions to trillions through firing/quitting/attrition, I don't. Otherwise it would have easily been done for many years.

If they eventually agree on anything, it may be that they return to pre-Covid standards, which is what Biden was pushing anyways. For the Board, that would not be a major shift as we had telework/remote work before Covid. The Board has become MORE efficient through its structure of remote work, completing MORE appeals than ever in the history of the Board. We have also reduced costs MORE than ever before. If anything, they can just slash our budget so we cannot hire anyone or do overtime. If they were to make the Board quit all remote work, then we would need to buy a new building, lease more floors, buy more equipment, increase overhead (electricity, water, other costs, security, staff, e.g.), our case backlog would blow immensely out of proportion to the people we would have (making it unrealistic to accomplish our mission), Vets would not get decisions for even longer, and people in Congress would have to answer for their actions. This is not like addressing an agency, i.e., Library of Congress, where they have plenty of space and choose not to use it. I believe we are just sailing a different ship than other agencies.

And is it very possible that in 2 years, the House flips. And who knows what is going to happen in the interim. People get distracted, things happen, moods change, focuses shift, etc. Taking a scalpel and not an axe to government spending is necessary. But you can believe that when people hear Vets are going to bear the brunt of something, that will not please the executive branch who depends on their votes, unlike other gov agencies perhaps. And if something does happen, I do not see how it could happen in an instant given all circumstances. 1000 attorneys and judges coming into one building of 2 floors (soon to be down to 1) every day of the week will accomplish nothing, cause mass chaos, and we will all be prorating our time due to "administrative" issues out of our control. I cannot issue decisions without a computer, proper staff, and proper space to do it in. So, when our numbers decrease from 110,000 appeals to 50,000 appeals (if that), the Chairman (whoever it may be) can easily point to Congress as the cause and the person who initiated the return-to-office policy.

In short, we are all riding this roller coaster together. Always have a plan B, as any good lawyer does. And hopefully, people will see that theory and practical application are not the same thing.

I did read a comment on another cite from a person who said that many, many years ago, his agency (which he did not name) "rented" a part of another federal building which was closest to him (as his nearest agency building was 2 hours away), and he went there to work. Obviously, that ended up being a waste of resources.

[Anonymous]

They are doing this to get people to quit. That have explicitly stated that is the reason they are killing remote work.

You won’t be going into a local RO. You will be moving to the washington DC area or you will be fired for failing to show up to your official duty location.

Per their own statements to many media outlets, they hope you will just quit. This is not about the Board. It’s about firing federal employees generally to downsize, get rid of the democrats, and fill any necessary vacancies with loyalist republicans.

[Anonymous]

https://www.fastcompany.com/91233536/elon-musk-believes-remote-work-is-a-covid-era-privilege-federal-workers-quit

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

And is it very possible that in 2 years, the House flips. And who knows what is going to happen in the interim. People get distracted, things happen, moods change, focuses shift, etc. Taking a scalpel and not an axe to government spending is necessary. But you can believe that when people hear Vets are going to bear the brunt of something, that will not please the executive branch who depends on their votes, unlike other gov agencies perhaps. And if something does happen, I do not see how it could happen in an instant given all circumstances. 1000 attorneys and judges coming into one building of 2 floors (soon to be down to 1) every day of the week will accomplish nothing, cause mass chaos, and we will all be prorating our time due to "administrative" issues out of our control. I cannot issue decisions without a computer, proper staff, and proper space to do it in. So, when our numbers decrease from 110,000 appeals to 50,000 appeals (if that), the Chairman (whoever it may be) can easily point to Congress as the cause and the person who initiated the return-to-office policy.

Thank you for that post. I don't know about the bolded, though. Veterans are actually a small voting block, and have been degraded enough by the R base that it seems like they are no longer a constituency that the new administration really wants to appease.

[Anonymous]

Notice that they refer to "Covid era" policies. The Board's work structure preceded Covid by many years.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Notice that they refer to "Covid era" policies. The Board's work structure preceded Covid by many years.

They don’t know that. The executive order is probably just going to broadly instruct all federal agencies to end remote work for everyone immediately. If there are exceptions, it’s going to be military spouses and disabled people. If they just leave broad discretion for except anyone, that isn’t any different from the current policy under Biden.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:They are doing this to get people to quit. That have explicitly stated that is the reason they are killing remote work.

You won’t be going into a local RO. You will be moving to the washington DC area or you will be fired for failing to show up to your official duty location.

Per their own statements to many media outlets, they hope you will just quit. This is not about the Board. It’s about firing federal employees generally to downsize, get rid of the democrats, and fill any necessary vacancies with loyalist republicans.

But the question is where will there be offices for these people. The Board is currently in the process of vacating an entire floor of 425 Eye Street. The VA HQ on Vermont Avenue is already packed and cannot accommodate Board employees. In fact some of those employees from HQ were previously moved to 425 Eye due to space constraints at HQ. There is also a Washington D.C. RO, but it's probably full, too. So where will all these people work when they get to DC?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:They are doing this to get people to quit. That have explicitly stated that is the reason they are killing remote work.

You won’t be going into a local RO. You will be moving to the washington DC area or you will be fired for failing to show up to your official duty location.

Per their own statements to many media outlets, they hope you will just quit. This is not about the Board. It’s about firing federal employees generally to downsize, get rid of the democrats, and fill any necessary vacancies with loyalist republicans.

This ^. Read what they’re actually saying to the media. They’re explicitly saying they want to force people to quit. I think, obviously, you shouldn’t quit because you could be giving up your rights — severance, unemployment (who knows what the job market will look like with these clowns in charge), the union taking action on your behalf. It’ll be interesting to see how management responds. Given how they treated the union last time, I doubt they’ll be trying to protect Board employees but will be more interested in self preservation & looking loyal to their new boss. I look forward to what the union says at the upcoming meeting and hearing their action plan. As I see it, our telework agreements are contracts for which we relied on when we went remote in our locations. & these clowns have openly stated their reasons for this apparent upcoming EO, and it’s not a legitimate reason. It’s simply indefensible. But who knows what will happen. Things could change but from what I’m reading now, they want an executive order on day 1 to return to DC. Though, our new boss has also said he wants to move parts of the federal government out of DC, decentralize it. There’s a reason for this — make VA less blue. Also, the reason for crashing the economy — they make money when they do it. Stocks become cheap. They’re selling billions in stocks now. These oligarch billionaires are ready to become trillionaires. Also, they’re trying to break the government to destroy what they see as the deep state. They want to install their people. Even your job likely through a loyalty test and little to no POCs, lgbtq, etc. They have stated this. They don’t like the fact the government is multicultural, diverse. They went to destroy this. One thing I’d like to see our union do is educate the public about how important federal employees are to the lives of Americans and that we’re hardworking through reaching out to the media. They want us to be scared and they want us to quit. Let them fire you. This is a form of protest. Contact your local media and call your representatives. Have your friends and family do the same thing. Maybe we’ll dodge this bullet, but they seem hellbent on making it happen.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They are doing this to get people to quit. That have explicitly stated that is the reason they are killing remote work.

You won’t be going into a local RO. You will be moving to the washington DC area or you will be fired for failing to show up to your official duty location.

Per their own statements to many media outlets, they hope you will just quit. This is not about the Board. It’s about firing federal employees generally to downsize, get rid of the democrats, and fill any necessary vacancies with loyalist republicans.

This ^. Read what they’re actually saying to the media. They’re explicitly saying they want to force people to quit. I think, obviously, you shouldn’t quit because you could be giving up your rights — severance, unemployment (who knows what the job market will look like with these clowns in charge), the union taking action on your behalf. It’ll be interesting to see how management responds. Given how they treated the union last time, I doubt they’ll be trying to protect Board employees but will be more interested in self preservation & looking loyal to their new boss. I look forward to what the union says at the upcoming meeting and hearing their action plan. As I see it, our telework agreements are contracts for which we relied on when we went remote in our locations. & these clowns have openly stated their reasons for this apparent upcoming EO, and it’s not a legitimate reason. It’s simply indefensible. But who knows what will happen. Things could change but from what I’m reading now, they want an executive order on day 1 to return to DC. Though, our new boss has also said he wants to move parts of the federal government out of DC, decentralize it. There’s a reason for this — make VA less blue. Also, the reason for crashing the economy — they make money when they do it. Stocks become cheap. They’re selling billions in stocks now. These oligarch billionaires are ready to become trillionaires. Also, they’re trying to break the government to destroy what they see as the deep state. They want to install their people. Even your job likely through a loyalty test and little to no POCs, lgbtq, etc. They have stated this. They don’t like the fact the government is multicultural, diverse. They went to destroy this. One thing I’d like to see our union do is educate the public about how important federal employees are to the lives of Americans and that we’re hardworking through reaching out to the media. They want us to be scared and they want us to quit. Let them fire you. This is a form of protest. Contact your local media and call your representatives. Have your friends and family do the same thing. Maybe we’ll dodge this bullet, but they seem hellbent on making it happen.

Okay, point taken. However, assuming half the people do agree to move to Washington to keep their job, VA will have to get more space to accommodate them. Several hundred Board employees are not going to fit in a few cubicles at 425 Eye Street.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They are doing this to get people to quit. That have explicitly stated that is the reason they are killing remote work.

You won’t be going into a local RO. You will be moving to the washington DC area or you will be fired for failing to show up to your official duty location.

Per their own statements to many media outlets, they hope you will just quit. This is not about the Board. It’s about firing federal employees generally to downsize, get rid of the democrats, and fill any necessary vacancies with loyalist republicans.

This ^. Read what they’re actually saying to the media. They’re explicitly saying they want to force people to quit. I think, obviously, you shouldn’t quit because you could be giving up your rights — severance, unemployment (who knows what the job market will look like with these clowns in charge), the union taking action on your behalf. It’ll be interesting to see how management responds. Given how they treated the union last time, I doubt they’ll be trying to protect Board employees but will be more interested in self preservation & looking loyal to their new boss. I look forward to what the union says at the upcoming meeting and hearing their action plan. As I see it, our telework agreements are contracts for which we relied on when we went remote in our locations. & these clowns have openly stated their reasons for this apparent upcoming EO, and it’s not a legitimate reason. It’s simply indefensible. But who knows what will happen. Things could change but from what I’m reading now, they want an executive order on day 1 to return to DC. Though, our new boss has also said he wants to move parts of the federal government out of DC, decentralize it. There’s a reason for this — make VA less blue. Also, the reason for crashing the economy — they make money when they do it. Stocks become cheap. They’re selling billions in stocks now. These oligarch billionaires are ready to become trillionaires. Also, they’re trying to break the government to destroy what they see as the deep state. They want to install their people. Even your job likely through a loyalty test and little to no POCs, lgbtq, etc. They have stated this. They don’t like the fact the government is multicultural, diverse. They went to destroy this. One thing I’d like to see our union do is educate the public about how important federal employees are to the lives of Americans and that we’re hardworking through reaching out to the media. They want us to be scared and they want us to quit. Let them fire you. This is a form of protest. Contact your local media and call your representatives. Have your friends and family do the same thing. Maybe we’ll dodge this bullet, but they seem hellbent on making it happen.

Okay, point taken. However, assuming half the people do agree to move to Washington to keep their job, VA will have to get more space to accommodate them. Several hundred Board employees are not going to fit in a few cubicles at 425 Eye Street.

I understand, and I should’ve been clear my point is for people, most likely all fully remote, who can’t come back to DC because they can’t afford to move to DC, have mortgages, need to be close to family or their community for whatever reasons, don’t want to move schools, etc., & relied on their employer’s promise they can do their job remotely.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They are doing this to get people to quit. That have explicitly stated that is the reason they are killing remote work.

You won’t be going into a local RO. You will be moving to the washington DC area or you will be fired for failing to show up to your official duty location.

Per their own statements to many media outlets, they hope you will just quit. This is not about the Board. It’s about firing federal employees generally to downsize, get rid of the democrats, and fill any necessary vacancies with loyalist republicans.

This ^. Read what they’re actually saying to the media. They’re explicitly saying they want to force people to quit. I think, obviously, you shouldn’t quit because you could be giving up your rights — severance, unemployment (who knows what the job market will look like with these clowns in charge), the union taking action on your behalf. It’ll be interesting to see how management responds. Given how they treated the union last time, I doubt they’ll be trying to protect Board employees but will be more interested in self preservation & looking loyal to their new boss. I look forward to what the union says at the upcoming meeting and hearing their action plan. As I see it, our telework agreements are contracts for which we relied on when we went remote in our locations. & these clowns have openly stated their reasons for this apparent upcoming EO, and it’s not a legitimate reason. It’s simply indefensible. But who knows what will happen. Things could change but from what I’m reading now, they want an executive order on day 1 to return to DC. Though, our new boss has also said he wants to move parts of the federal government out of DC, decentralize it. There’s a reason for this — make VA less blue. Also, the reason for crashing the economy — they make money when they do it. Stocks become cheap. They’re selling billions in stocks now. These oligarch billionaires are ready to become trillionaires. Also, they’re trying to break the government to destroy what they see as the deep state. They want to install their people. Even your job likely through a loyalty test and little to no POCs, lgbtq, etc. They have stated this. They don’t like the fact the government is multicultural, diverse. They went to destroy this. One thing I’d like to see our union do is educate the public about how important federal employees are to the lives of Americans and that we’re hardworking through reaching out to the media. They want us to be scared and they want us to quit. Let them fire you. This is a form of protest. Contact your local media and call your representatives. Have your friends and family do the same thing. Maybe we’ll dodge this bullet, but they seem hellbent on making it happen.

Okay, point taken. However, assuming half the people do agree to move to Washington to keep their job, VA will have to get more space to accommodate them. Several hundred Board employees are not going to fit in a few cubicles at 425 Eye Street.

I understand, and I should’ve been clear my point is for people, most likely all fully remote, who can’t come back to DC because they can’t afford to move to DC, have mortgages, need to be close to family or their community for whatever reasons, don’t want to move schools, etc., & relied on their employer’s promise they can do their job remotely.

& also, to note, yes, space in DC will be a problem. I think this is part of the plan — to make it seem not ideal, which could result in people quitting. I’m sure part of the plan is to make it miserable for those who decide to return.

[Anonymous]

Expect to be packed into small rooms of around 100 people so close to each other that are they almost touching each other. Expect IT issues. Expect constant noise from 100 people shuffling around, talking, and getting up to pee all day long. Expect disgruntled employees getting angry and causing a scene. Welcome to your new hell.