Realignment for SEC

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I hear it is happening. And soon. And any thoughts about seating and lease terms and wondering how it will work and how can they do this with no telework are irrelevant. The agency doesn’t have control anymore. And even if they did this Chairman has no clue or doesn’t even ponder how this or anything else would impact staff.

While we had all thought things may have finally stabilized, this will throw DC into chaos and worry. No one realizes that nothing will get done while all the moving and shuffling is going on. Cleaning out offices. Moving your own stuff.

If any of this is true, losing SP2 maybe be a good thing long term, even if there is some short term pain.

Once there is an administration that is not so hostile telework (possible even under a non-Trump Republican administration) it will be easier to demonstrate the need with the lower footprint.

Everyone keep saying in three years . . . In three years. But it could be seven. And even if a more reasonable or humane person is chairman, this isn’t something they will change day 1.

I will note that the SEC is an agency that still considers people "new" if they've only been there 5 years. They tend to attract folks that go "only three years? i can wait them out." Of course, that makes it hard to effect big sweeping changes, but not impossible.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I was gonna say why does it matter if he says yes or not to jeans on Friday - I'd venture to guess 50% of people wear them anyway.

Any truth to the fact that the division directors are asking for 1 day of TW? Bc I heard the Enf director asked - on her own not as part of this request - and was told no. So I don't see what the point is unless they think all the divisions asking jointly is better leverage or whatever.

I heard that one division director thought it might be a possibility if everyone asks. Could be true, could be a way of the division director simply trying to show support to staff knowing full well it won’t happen.

[Anonymous]

Is it strange that all the RAs are being kept interim after a long time. Anyone have theirs go final or cancelled? Trying to figure out what their game plan is?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Is it strange that all the RAs are being kept interim after a long time. Anyone have theirs go final or cancelled? Trying to figure out what their game plan is?

I don’t know, but it may be because they have been giving them out like candy at Halloween and they may want to have a bit greater flexibility to analyze whether they are really appropriate.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I doubt there will be any settlement. Maybe with the Division directors asking for a day we get one day. But that is even highly doubtful.

Our division director asked him about returning to the old tradition of jeans on Fridays and he was berated for even asking. How dare the peasants request such things!

I don’t believe this. Based on what I’ve seen, it’s hard to imagine PA berating anyone. He is pretty steady Freddy.

A tongue lashing was the expression that was used to describe it. I suppose that is milder than berating.

I don’t even believe that version.

I don’t believe there have been any high level discussions about jeans on Friday. An ask on TW may be different.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Is it strange that all the RAs are being kept interim after a long time. Anyone have theirs go final or cancelled? Trying to figure out what their game plan is?

I don’t know, but it may be because they have been giving them out like candy at Halloween and they may want to have a bit greater flexibility to analyze whether they are really appropriate.

The reason is because FOH has to review them and FOH is backlogged beyond belief from all of the agencies that need assistance analyzing RAs. The SEC has to get in line along with everyone else.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Is it strange that all the RAs are being kept interim after a long time. Anyone have theirs go final or cancelled? Trying to figure out what their game plan is?

I don’t know, but it may be because they have been giving them out like candy at Halloween and they may want to have a bit greater flexibility to analyze whether they are really appropriate.

The reason is because FOH has to review them and FOH is backlogged beyond belief from all of the agencies that need assistance analyzing RAs. The SEC has to get in line along with everyone else.

Agencies have to run reasonable accommodation requests past people outside the agency? Is that a new requirement to centralize things?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Is it strange that all the RAs are being kept interim after a long time. Anyone have theirs go final or cancelled? Trying to figure out what their game plan is?

I don’t know, but it may be because they have been giving them out like candy at Halloween and they may want to have a bit greater flexibility to analyze whether they are really appropriate.

The reason is because FOH has to review them and FOH is backlogged beyond belief from all of the agencies that need assistance analyzing RAs. The SEC has to get in line along with everyone else.

Agencies have to run reasonable accommodation requests past people outside the agency? Is that a new requirement to centralize things?

I don't know if it is a requirement per se, there are certainly agencies that are outright just denying all TW RAs without any consultation with FOH or really any meaningful review or interactive process. I also don't think they are necessary in every care like, for example, let's say your RA is for something simple like a reading lamp, they will probably just give you a reading lamp without involving FOH. The people at FOH are doctors so they can assist in engaging in the interactive process to determine what will be an effective accommodation be it TW or something else.

[Anonymous]

What’s FOH?

Also can someone help - newer SEC person relatively speaking so never had to think about this. Need a surgery - this spring. Will use sick leave for surgery and recovery after. Problem is surgery is in another state 3 hrs away. In the weeks leading up surgeons make you do all kinds of pre op testing but these things aren’t flexible like do it on a Monday, drive back Tuesday and just take two days off that wk. Like some stuff is like this Dr only sees ppl Wed, next guy only sees ppl following Monday. So it’d be a lot of driving back and forth to at least get some days in the office. Is this an RA type thing - telework in the say 3 wks leading up to surgery? It’s not medical in the sense that there would be a drs note - it’s more of a burning leaving driving back and forth and getting to surgery exhausted issue. WWYD if anything?

[Anonymous]

You would need a doctors note to get a one time temporary medical accommodation. I don’t see how you get any flexibility without it.


quote=Anonymous]What’s FOH?

Also can someone help - newer SEC person relatively speaking so never had to think about this. Need a surgery - this spring. Will use sick leave for surgery and recovery after. Problem is surgery is in another state 3 hrs away. In the weeks leading up surgeons make you do all kinds of pre op testing but these things aren’t flexible like do it on a Monday, drive back Tuesday and just take two days off that wk. Like some stuff is like this Dr only sees ppl Wed, next guy only sees ppl following Monday. So it’d be a lot of driving back and forth to at least get some days in the office. Is this an RA type thing - telework in the say 3 wks leading up to surgery? It’s not medical in the sense that there would be a drs note - it’s more of a burning leaving driving back and forth and getting to surgery exhausted issue. WWYD if anything?

[Anonymous]

PP - I can’t answer you question but my sense is there is medical and non medical reasonable accommodation. Medical requires the drs note. Non medical does not - ppl in my group are using it for all kinds of bizarre reasons that are not medical.

[Anonymous]

Management has about as much ability to enforce dress code as they do to enforce the supposed “rule” that you can’t take your lunch break at 2:00 and then go home (assuming you badged in at 6). That is to say — none.

(Cue all the whiney highlighter girls yelling at me for violating some supposed HR interpretation of something).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Is it strange that all the RAs are being kept interim after a long time. Anyone have theirs go final or cancelled? Trying to figure out what their game plan is?

It annoys me- I think many of them are just trying work from home. It is not fair to the people who come in every day. OHR needs to process them more timely or require people to use leave or come in.

[Anonymous]

For those with legitimate RA’s, it’s annoying as well. Should not be kept interim for months on end. It should not take that long to process. It’s 45 days under the SEC procedures and for many it’s been six or more months. All of these require medical documentation so those who think people are just working from home for no reason, think again.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Is it strange that all the RAs are being kept interim after a long time. Anyone have theirs go final or cancelled? Trying to figure out what their game plan is?

It annoys me- I think many of them are just trying work from home. It is not fair to the people who come in every day. OHR needs to process them more timely or require people to use leave or come in.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:For those with legitimate RA’s, it’s annoying as well. Should not be kept interim for months on end. It should not take that long to process. It’s 45 days under the SEC procedures and for many it’s been six or more months. All of these require medical documentation so those who think people are just working from home for no reason, think again.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Is it strange that all the RAs are being kept interim after a long time. Anyone have theirs go final or cancelled? Trying to figure out what their game plan is?

It annoys me- I think many of them are just trying work from home. It is not fair to the people who come in every day. OHR needs to process them more timely or require people to use leave or come in.

There is a difference between no reason, and a reason that should allow telework, particularly every day. And just because a doctor will give you a note, that doesn’t mean the agency has to agree.

I have a colleague who has a medical issue, but he previously managed to come in with occasional extra days at home when the issue presented bigger problems. And, it’s not purely a matter of the condition worsening because I see him downtown for plenty of social events on social media. But, he’s been full time telework for the last year.

While I am not privy to his detailed medical records, this sure seems like I situation where someone could come in, perhaps with some flexibility if the issue flared.