Telework abuse - would you report?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Ugh everyone here is clearly abusing their telework policy as well. Don't offer excuses. Teleworking does mean you have to actually do work!

Yes, this. Telework is supposed to be only so folk can save on commuting time. They are still expected to work the same number of hours as a non-teleworking Fed. I don't get these excuses of 'well, I don't talk to a coworker or browse so I am going to take of or for 2-3 hours on telework days ad head to Costco.

Exactly. And if someone can really "get all their work done" while taking 2 hour Costco breaks during the day regularly, then it's a sign that they either need more work, or the position can be reduced to part time (with part time pay) or eliminated completely.

Here's what you don't get, though. Someone could have work that should be part time, but lets everyone believe it's a full time job. The boss has no complaints because he's "getting all his work done" and there are no problems with his work. But unless someone sees him goofing off half the time or someone else comes in to do the job who finishes in half the time AND tells management that they need more work, no one will know that the guy's job could be done in 20 hours per week.

That's what has happened in our department. We had a few old-timers who's job functions really didn't take 40 hours/week. But they would talk and act like it was a full time job. When they left/retired, management realized what they were doing but until then, they were totally scamming the system.

hahahaha you are so clueless
old timers, eh? I am sure young workers constantly ask for more work and in fact demand to be for so that company can be more efficient
funny how all you productive workers and managers were so busy you couldn't figure out old timers' workload before they left

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Ugh everyone here is clearly abusing their telework policy as well. Don't offer excuses. Teleworking does mean you have to actually do work!

Yes, this. Telework is supposed to be only so folk can save on commuting time. They are still expected to work the same number of hours as a non-teleworking Fed. I don't get these excuses of 'well, I don't talk to a coworker or browse so I am going to take of or for 2-3 hours on telework days ad head to Costco.

Exactly. And if someone can really "get all their work done" while taking 2 hour Costco breaks during the day regularly, then it's a sign that they either need more work, or the position can be reduced to part time (with part time pay) or eliminated completely.

Here's what you don't get, though. Someone could have work that should be part time, but lets everyone believe it's a full time job. The boss has no complaints because he's "getting all his work done" and there are no problems with his work. But unless someone sees him goofing off half the time or someone else comes in to do the job who finishes in half the time AND tells management that they need more work, no one will know that the guy's job could be done in 20 hours per week.

That's what has happened in our department. We had a few old-timers who's job functions really didn't take 40 hours/week. But they would talk and act like it was a full time job. When they left/retired, management realized what they were doing but until then, they were totally scamming the system.

You are talking about most of the workforce. Only a small minority of idiots ask for more work. Most of these fools are in DC because of the Type A thing. Doesnt bother me I'll keep costing while yall pick up the slack thinking you are so important lolz

+1

Count me in as one of those idiots. I hate watching the clock. I ask for more work, and they won't provide it. They won't let me go part time, either, because they want me available to them. So on days in the office I often make extra money doing outside work, and on telework days, you might find me at Costco. No one cares because I get everything done in half the allotted time.

Excuse me while I sign back onto my work computer to finish up...I left early to take my kids outside today. I enjoyed life for an hour. Why this would bother anyone is beyond me.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Ugh everyone here is clearly abusing their telework policy as well. Don't offer excuses. Teleworking does mean you have to actually do work!

Yes, this. Telework is supposed to be only so folk can save on commuting time. They are still expected to work the same number of hours as a non-teleworking Fed. I don't get these excuses of 'well, I don't talk to a coworker or browse so I am going to take of or for 2-3 hours on telework days ad head to Costco.

Exactly. And if someone can really "get all their work done" while taking 2 hour Costco breaks during the day regularly, then it's a sign that they either need more work, or the position can be reduced to part time (with part time pay) or eliminated completely.

or...it's a sign that they are smarte than you

Or more efficient or just work "differently." Our agency work has been limited due to lack of a quorum, so there's been a lot of sitting around lately and on telework days, well. . .

But even when we are super busy and I have a lot of work to do, I don't work well on the regular 9-5 schedule. Yes, those are my hours (more like 9-6:30 officially), but I tend to work better in the evenings. So when I'm busy and on a deadline, even though I'm in the office during my official hours, I get the majority of my substantive work done in the hours of 3-7:30/8 or whenever I need to be happy with my final product. My point is I don't think the co-worker being seen somewhere other than her home office on her telework days says anything about her performance.

This is the entire issue. OP says it DOES affect her performance, as well as that of the team (they all miss a deadline bc they're waiting on her feedback).

Then it will reflect in her performance reviews. Don't be a tattle-tale, OP. It's unbecoming.

[Anonymous]

OP here with a minor update: my coworker talked to admin who has been having similar frustrations. She dug out one of those boards with magnets where you can indicate your schedule and sent out an email to everybody.

[Anonymous]

Am I the only teleworker who has to email my boss when I start work and when I finish, and send a note outlining what I did each day? I can "flex out" during the day, so as long as I work within certain hours, I might be at Costco or a doctor's appointment during the day, but not be on work time then. Again, I have to email my boss when I come and go.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Am I the only teleworker who has to email my boss when I start work and when I finish, and send a note outlining what I did each day? I can "flex out" during the day, so as long as I work within certain hours, I might be at Costco or a doctor's appointment during the day, but not be on work time then. Again, I have to email my boss when I come and go.

Yes. There may have been a lot of abuse at your workplace to institute these protocols. Patent office, perhaps?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Am I the only teleworker who has to email my boss when I start work and when I finish, and send a note outlining what I did each day? I can "flex out" during the day, so as long as I work within certain hours, I might be at Costco or a doctor's appointment during the day, but not be on work time then. Again, I have to email my boss when I come and go.

Which agency?

If you read the over 100 responses to this thread, you are an exception.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Am I the only teleworker who has to email my boss when I start work and when I finish, and send a note outlining what I did each day? I can "flex out" during the day, so as long as I work within certain hours, I might be at Costco or a doctor's appointment during the day, but not be on work time then. Again, I have to email my boss when I come and go.

Yes. There may have been a lot of abuse at your workplace to institute these protocols. Patent office, perhaps?

No, not the patent office. I don't see it as a hardship, but rather transparency.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Am I the only teleworker who has to email my boss when I start work and when I finish, and send a note outlining what I did each day? I can "flex out" during the day, so as long as I work within certain hours, I might be at Costco or a doctor's appointment during the day, but not be on work time then. Again, I have to email my boss when I come and go.

Which agency?

If you read the over 100 responses to this thread, you are an exception.

It's an HHS agency and it's the agency protocol to account for our time that way. I have to say that I often get more work done at home because I'm more comfortable and focused.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here with a minor update: my coworker talked to admin who has been having similar frustrations. She dug out one of those boards with magnets where you can indicate your schedule and sent out an email to everybody.

Good update!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Am I the only teleworker who has to email my boss when I start work and when I finish, and send a note outlining what I did each day? I can "flex out" during the day, so as long as I work within certain hours, I might be at Costco or a doctor's appointment during the day, but not be on work time then. Again, I have to email my boss when I come and go.

Which agency?

If you read the over 100 responses to this thread, you are an exception.

It's an HHS agency and it's the agency protocol to account for our time that way. I have to say that I often get more work done at home because I'm more comfortable and focused.

My agency (DOJ) used to make us do that too. They've since stopped, but the real accountability for us is that all our work is done in a particular system. Managers can (and do) run reports that show exactly what work you've done and they can log into said system and literally see work sitting or moving.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Here's what you don't get, though. Someone could have work that should be part time, but lets everyone believe it's a full time job. The boss has no complaints because he's "getting all his work done" and there are no problems with his work. But unless someone sees him goofing off half the time or someone else comes in to do the job who finishes in half the time AND tells management that they need more work, no one will know that the guy's job could be done in 20 hours per week.

That's what has happened in our department. We had a few old-timers who's job functions really didn't take 40 hours/week. But they would talk and act like it was a full time job. When they left/retired, management realized what they were doing but until then, they were totally scamming the system.

hahahaha you are so clueless
old timers, eh? I am sure young workers constantly ask for more work and in fact demand to be for so that company can be more efficient
funny how all you productive workers and managers were so busy you couldn't figure out old timers' workload before they left

We have some jobs like this. The positions were created pre-email and really were full time jobs in that era. Now the job can be accomplished with a few clicks. Nobody is fooled or thinks these people are working hard; as they retire or quit, they are not being replaced.

I do ask for more work, or rather I think of things we should be doing and suggest to my boss that I do them. That's why I get to telework.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here with a minor update: my coworker talked to admin who has been having similar frustrations. She dug out one of those boards with magnets where you can indicate your schedule and sent out an email to everybody.

Y’all are some gossipy ass bitches. Why haven’t you talked to the alleged offender yet?!? Instead, y’all are chattering like a bunch of mean girls then sending this passive aggressive ass calendar which is wasting everyone’s time. I can’t stand shit like this. Grow a pair and address the issue head on!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here with a minor update: my coworker talked to admin who has been having similar frustrations. She dug out one of those boards with magnets where you can indicate your schedule and sent out an email to everybody.

If she's teleworking how will she adjust the magnets next to her name?

[Anonymous]

People should be paid according to output, not input.

Bad people should be managed out, good people rewarded. It makes no difference how much time you spend working.