DMV Feds only - is your agency still struggling with WFH policy?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We’re still home 5 days per week. My agency got rid of office space and we don’t even have room for everyone to go in anywhere. No indication we’ll be going back.

We’re probably in the same agency. Have only been in twice since 3/2020– to renew creds and to clean out my office space. The lease on our DC area buildings ran out. HQ not DC based or reasonably commutable. There is very limited hoteling downtown if needed and that’s it. Feel pretty safe in 5 days a week telework being permanent because they spent several years trying to move our offices to a new space and got nowhere. Starting from scratch isn’t realistic.

We just started Union negotiations. Looks like the big issue isn’t keeping 5 days a week. It’s whether we are FT telework/ must live in the DMV or become fully remote/ can live anywhere. Come on fully remote!

Fully remote could lose lose DC locality. Unless you’re moving to a more expensive place you’d lose money. So come on pay reduction!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We just went from 1 day per week in person to 3 days a week, they are monitoring this through PIV card swipes at the entrances because mangers have been allowing a lot of exceptions and the secretary’s office wants to crack down centrally.

Which department is this?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We’re still home 5 days per week. My agency got rid of office space and we don’t even have room for everyone to go in anywhere. No indication we’ll be going back.

We’re probably in the same agency. Have only been in twice since 3/2020– to renew creds and to clean out my office space. The lease on our DC area buildings ran out. HQ not DC based or reasonably commutable. There is very limited hoteling downtown if needed and that’s it. Feel pretty safe in 5 days a week telework being permanent because they spent several years trying to move our offices to a new space and got nowhere. Starting from scratch isn’t realistic.

We just started Union negotiations. Looks like the big issue isn’t keeping 5 days a week. It’s whether we are FT telework/ must live in the DMV or become fully remote/ can live anywhere. Come on fully remote!

Fully remote could lose lose DC locality. Unless you’re moving to a more expensive place you’d lose money. So come on pay reduction!

People where I work are fighting to keep DC pay and live in areas with lower locality. Problem is we have people already in those localities at other sites and they don’t get DC pay and also, it’s a massive waste of public money to pay people like that but they want what they want and whine over it. Personally, I think if they want to move they should take the locality of where they live or suck up the cost to come to the home office like everyone else. I have literally no sympathy. Anyone who thought they could move to South Carolina and keep DC pay only coming in once a quarter was dreaming and unrealistic.

[Anonymous]

We are at two days in the office. At this point, looks like it will continue indefinitely.

[Anonymous]

Still home full time. Talk of 1 to 2 days a week staring. The agency gave up space so I don't see how it can ever be more than 2 days.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We’re still home 5 days per week. My agency got rid of office space and we don’t even have room for everyone to go in anywhere. No indication we’ll be going back.

We’re probably in the same agency. Have only been in twice since 3/2020– to renew creds and to clean out my office space. The lease on our DC area buildings ran out. HQ not DC based or reasonably commutable. There is very limited hoteling downtown if needed and that’s it. Feel pretty safe in 5 days a week telework being permanent because they spent several years trying to move our offices to a new space and got nowhere. Starting from scratch isn’t realistic.

We just started Union negotiations. Looks like the big issue isn’t keeping 5 days a week. It’s whether we are FT telework/ must live in the DMV or become fully remote/ can live anywhere. Come on fully remote!

Fully remote could lose lose DC locality. Unless you’re moving to a more expensive place you’d lose money. So come on pay reduction!

People where I work are fighting to keep DC pay and live in areas with lower locality. Problem is we have people already in those localities at other sites and they don’t get DC pay and also, it’s a massive waste of public money to pay people like that but they want what they want and whine over it. Personally, I think if they want to move they should take the locality of where they live or suck up the cost to come to the home office like everyone else. I have literally no sympathy. Anyone who thought they could move to South Carolina and keep DC pay only coming in once a quarter was dreaming and unrealistic.

That's a settled matter at my agency. You moved to a lower COL area, your locality is adjusted accordingly.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We’re still home 5 days per week. My agency got rid of office space and we don’t even have room for everyone to go in anywhere. No indication we’ll be going back.

We’re probably in the same agency. Have only been in twice since 3/2020– to renew creds and to clean out my office space. The lease on our DC area buildings ran out. HQ not DC based or reasonably commutable. There is very limited hoteling downtown if needed and that’s it. Feel pretty safe in 5 days a week telework being permanent because they spent several years trying to move our offices to a new space and got nowhere. Starting from scratch isn’t realistic.

We just started Union negotiations. Looks like the big issue isn’t keeping 5 days a week. It’s whether we are FT telework/ must live in the DMV or become fully remote/ can live anywhere. Come on fully remote!

Fully remote could lose lose DC locality. Unless you’re moving to a more expensive place you’d lose money. So come on pay reduction!

My agency has 3 categories: telework eligible (which is less than 100% telework), remote (which means 100% wfh within DC area) and remote outside local commuting area. Most people seem to be remote (within DC area).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We’re still home 5 days per week. My agency got rid of office space and we don’t even have room for everyone to go in anywhere. No indication we’ll be going back.

We’re probably in the same agency. Have only been in twice since 3/2020– to renew creds and to clean out my office space. The lease on our DC area buildings ran out. HQ not DC based or reasonably commutable. There is very limited hoteling downtown if needed and that’s it. Feel pretty safe in 5 days a week telework being permanent because they spent several years trying to move our offices to a new space and got nowhere. Starting from scratch isn’t realistic.

We just started Union negotiations. Looks like the big issue isn’t keeping 5 days a week. It’s whether we are FT telework/ must live in the DMV or become fully remote/ can live anywhere. Come on fully remote!

Fully remote could lose lose DC locality. Unless you’re moving to a more expensive place you’d lose money. So come on pay reduction!

And in that case they would be living in a less expensive area, so it works out.

[Anonymous]

Even if we wanted to come into the office, it would take so much human resource time and effort to corral folks into the office. I also think there is a emotional intelligence component that has not been addressed.

We have co workers who spend a ridiculous amount of time talking about their personal lives. I notice this especially with affluent workers of a certain socio-demographic group. They want someone to brag about their value, income, travels etc.

When asked to stick to work conversations, people are offended that they cannot show their social class position and experiences in small talk.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Even if we wanted to come into the office, it would take so much human resource time and effort to corral folks into the office. I also think there is a emotional intelligence component that has not been addressed.

We have co workers who spend a ridiculous amount of time talking about their personal lives. I notice this especially with affluent workers of a certain socio-demographic group. They want someone to brag about their value, income, travels etc.

When asked to stick to work conversations, people are offended that they cannot show their social class position and experiences in small talk.

I find people who want to stick to work conversations are Remote nuts who hate RTO who want to get in an out as quick as possible or making some point. They stress me.

I am in person I work my full 8 but in office almost nine hours a day. If I want to get breakfast, chat in coffee room, say hello secretary, ask the IT guy about his weekend I have time. I have a co-worker who is all business and runs out door to the second every day he is stressful. I literally asked him about his weekend on a Monday and looked like his blood was boiling. I never talk about myself much.

This guy is 100 percent against RTO and on a mission to prove being in office has no value. He won’t go company events or anything unless paid and mandatory

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Even if we wanted to come into the office, it would take so much human resource time and effort to corral folks into the office. I also think there is a emotional intelligence component that has not been addressed.

We have co workers who spend a ridiculous amount of time talking about their personal lives. I notice this especially with affluent workers of a certain socio-demographic group. They want someone to brag about their value, income, travels etc.

When asked to stick to work conversations, people are offended that they cannot show their social class position and experiences in small talk.

I find people who want to stick to work conversations are Remote nuts who hate RTO who want to get in an out as quick as possible or making some point. They stress me.

I am in person I work my full 8 but in office almost nine hours a day. If I want to get breakfast, chat in coffee room, say hello secretary, ask the IT guy about his weekend I have time. I have a co-worker who is all business and runs out door to the second every day he is stressful. I literally asked him about his weekend on a Monday and looked like his blood was boiling. I never talk about myself much.

This guy is 100 percent against RTO and on a mission to prove being in office has no value. He won’t go company events or anything unless paid and mandatory

You sound like an outlier in that you’re not just at work to do a job and collect a paycheck. I don’t see how the conversations you described benefit your company.

Technology has evolved and we now don’t need to be physically located in an office to do our jobs. Offices are from when a time people used typewriters, passed around physical pieces of paper and long distance calls were a big deal. This is no longer the case and having a physical office so you can talk to the IT guy about his weekend is a huge waste of resources.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We’re still home 5 days per week. My agency got rid of office space and we don’t even have room for everyone to go in anywhere. No indication we’ll be going back.

What agency gave up their space?

[Anonymous]

We just recently went back one day a week. It’s fine but honestly that one day a week is a waste. Between commuting and everyone talking to each other I get nothing done.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We’re still home 5 days per week. My agency got rid of office space and we don’t even have room for everyone to go in anywhere. No indication we’ll be going back.

What agency gave up their space?

NP but BLS did.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We’re still home 5 days per week. My agency got rid of office space and we don’t even have room for everyone to go in anywhere. No indication we’ll be going back.

We’re probably in the same agency. Have only been in twice since 3/2020– to renew creds and to clean out my office space. The lease on our DC area buildings ran out. HQ not DC based or reasonably commutable. There is very limited hoteling downtown if needed and that’s it. Feel pretty safe in 5 days a week telework being permanent because they spent several years trying to move our offices to a new space and got nowhere. Starting from scratch isn’t realistic.

We just started Union negotiations. Looks like the big issue isn’t keeping 5 days a week. It’s whether we are FT telework/ must live in the DMV or become fully remote/ can live anywhere. Come on fully remote!

Fully remote could lose lose DC locality. Unless you’re moving to a more expensive place you’d lose money. So come on pay reduction!

People where I work are fighting to keep DC pay and live in areas with lower locality. Problem is we have people already in those localities at other sites and they don’t get DC pay and also, it’s a massive waste of public money to pay people like that but they want what they want and whine over it. Personally, I think if they want to move they should take the locality of where they live or suck up the cost to come to the home office like everyone else. I have literally no sympathy. Anyone who thought they could move to South Carolina and keep DC pay only coming in once a quarter was dreaming and unrealistic.

That's a settled matter at my agency. You moved to a lower COL area, your locality is adjusted accordingly.

Locality pay isn’t based on COL. It’s based on wages. Of course this is correlated but you’d be surprised how many places in the US have a lower COL but high locality pay. Check out Houston, TX locality pay.