New OPM memo on RTO

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Fellow feds - stop defending bad actors.

We can all agree that telework as benefits but we need to draw a line in the sand somewhere when it comes to being good stewards of tax dollars. Defending surfing or running errands or playing sports at 1000 on a workday is unacceptable and you will never get support from the public or politicians as long as you think it is ok. Going to the gym at your worksite or in your garage is not the same thing as checking off the computer to go enjoy some leisure time.

My DH works in tech and will randomly go work out or to pickup some groceries in between meetings. His boss knows. No one gives a crap so long as he is available and getting work done.

If a fed employee is working their full 40 hours, turning in quality work, and not missing meetings then why would anyone care if they flex out to play pickleball or whatever.

I flex out several times per month to volunteer at my kids’ school and also to transport donations to a food bank. I’m also a high performer at my agency. It never dawned on me that anyone would have a pathetic enough life to care about this type of thing. Miserable people really want to drag down the rest of the world with them.

If you have so much free time to do all these non-work related activities during your core business hours, it can be interpreted that you don’t have a sufficient workload. And this is a known fact at Federal Agencies. The workload for each federal employee is significantly less than what you typically see in the industry. As a former federal employee I can testify to that and I had excellent performance throughout my duration of work at Federal government. No wonder federal employees can do their work in 20 hrs or less per week while still being a high performer.
Also, the annual performance evaluation of federal employees is a joke. There isn’t any real evaluation, no feedback sought from your direct reports, collaborators, or stakeholders. All employees usually get a same rating almost every year, unless one is totally negligent. The supervisors would give the highest rating to their favorites or those who are next in line for a promotion. Been there, seen that!

We don't actually have "core business hours". I don't know why this is hard to explain. My job is mostly solitary writing and there's no reason it has to be done between 9 and 5.

[Anonymous]

Fed here- replying on my lunch break. I don't understand the zero flexibility with the RTO other than to make us miserable. Prior to the pandemic I was remote teleworking at least 3 days a week, sometimes more. Going back stinks, since I'll be less productive adding in commute time and socializing with others. I'm usually in back-to-back meetings all day, in-office work will not increase my productivity, only lessen it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Fed here- replying on my lunch break. I don't understand the zero flexibility with the RTO other than to make us miserable. Prior to the pandemic I was remote teleworking at least 3 days a week, sometimes more. Going back stinks, since I'll be less productive adding in commute time and socializing with others. I'm usually in back-to-back meetings all day, in-office work will not increase my productivity, only lessen it.

Their goal isn't increasing productivity.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Not the PP, but I personally work with Feds who do play Pickleball and do other workout stuff during telework.

Also another Fed from FDA here and I know a lot of my colleagues are engaged with personal activities, ice-skating, kids activities, etc. during the core business hours. They would never respond on Teams and email responses are always delayed. You can almost see a pattern. Some won’t work on Friday but don’t take a day-off as well. The supervisors choose to ignore as they themselves are behaving similarly. And such employees are preferred and become supervisors because they don’t ask questions and challenge the current system. Pathetic situation.

Again, this sounds like a management problem, not a WFH problem.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Fellow feds - stop defending bad actors.

We can all agree that telework as benefits but we need to draw a line in the sand somewhere when it comes to being good stewards of tax dollars. Defending surfing or running errands or playing sports at 1000 on a workday is unacceptable and you will never get support from the public or politicians as long as you think it is ok. Going to the gym at your worksite or in your garage is not the same thing as checking off the computer to go enjoy some leisure time.

My DH works in tech and will randomly go work out or to pickup some groceries in between meetings. His boss knows. No one gives a crap so long as he is available and getting work done.

If a fed employee is working their full 40 hours, turning in quality work, and not missing meetings then why would anyone care if they flex out to play pickleball or whatever.

I flex out several times per month to volunteer at my kids’ school and also to transport donations to a food bank. I’m also a high performer at my agency. It never dawned on me that anyone would have a pathetic enough life to care about this type of thing. Miserable people really want to drag down the rest of the world with them.

If you have so much free time to do all these non-work related activities during your core business hours, it can be interpreted that you don’t have a sufficient workload. And this is a known fact at Federal Agencies. The workload for each federal employee is significantly less than what you typically see in the industry. As a former federal employee I can testify to that and I had excellent performance throughout my duration of work at Federal government. No wonder federal employees can do their work in 20 hrs or less per week while still being a high performer.
Also, the annual performance evaluation of federal employees is a joke. There isn’t any real evaluation, no feedback sought from your direct reports, collaborators, or stakeholders. All employees usually get a same rating almost every year, unless one is totally negligent. The supervisors would give the highest rating to their favorites or those who are next in line for a promotion. Been there, seen that!

Core hours in my agency are 9-12. I am part time and often work 6-12. So I am here posting on dcum when you think I am not doing my work, but I already finished my work day an hour ago.

[Anonymous]

Apparently agency heads are reading the EO without the caveat “practicable” for one’s return. They don’t want the agency to spend money on leases. This came straight from the press secretary’s mouth. They just want the unused buildings occupied fully. So perhaps more people need to return more frequently. This may mean the within 50 miles remote employees come in for two days or so.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Fed here- replying on my lunch break. I don't understand the zero flexibility with the RTO other than to make us miserable. Prior to the pandemic I was remote teleworking at least 3 days a week, sometimes more. Going back stinks, since I'll be less productive adding in commute time and socializing with others. I'm usually in back-to-back meetings all day, in-office work will not increase my productivity, only lessen it.

The goal is to make you miserable so you quit.

[Anonymous]

lmfao

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

lmfao

most jobs ask you to do this, its not out of the ordinary
state and loval govt do

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

lmfao

most jobs ask you to do this, its not out of the ordinary
state and loval govt do

Right. I'm already not allowed to have another job. And if I had one, there would be tax records.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

lmfao

What does that even mean?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

lmfao

most jobs ask you to do this, its not out of the ordinary
state and loval govt do

Um no. You have the right to have a second job as a federal employee unless prohibited by a law or regulation that applies to your
agency, or it might present a conflict of interest or raise a question of impartiality in the performance of your duties. This is straight from OGE website. And enshrined in the federal ethics regulations.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

lmfao

How do you prove you don’t have something?
Idiots.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

lmfao

most jobs ask you to do this, its not out of the ordinary
state and loval govt do

Um no. You have the right to have a second job as a federal employee unless prohibited by a law or regulation that applies to your
agency, or it might present a conflict of interest or raise a question of impartiality in the performance of your duties. This is straight from OGE website. And enshrined in the federal ethics regulations.

You have to disclose other jobs wherever you are a w2

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

lmfao

This is already a fireable offense for federal employees. You must declare outside employment to your agency, attest that it does not coincide with core working hours, and it must be affirmatively approved by the agency that there is no conflict of interests. Quick and easy termination if you are found to be committing time card fraud by working another job.

This is already a thing. These people are so dumb.