Surprise email from Supervisor

Anonymous
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:HI OP - I was once a supervisor in a federal agency. I'm so sorry for the email. I'm reading something concerning in the email. In addition to the telework day chain he or she mentions 8 hours a day. That I read means that someone knows you aren't at your desk for that minimum. That plus trying to change a fixed telework day is alarming. They may be starting a paper trail. Do you have any review coming up


Yes I have 90 day evaluation coming up.



Hmm. That's concerning. Sounds like HR told him to start a paper trail. Why did he mention the 8 hour minimum?
Anonymous
Anonymous wrote:What does your telework agreement say, OP? In my business unit at my agency, normally you would ask permission for situational telework for the day you can’t make it into the office, and then you wait until you get approval or you follow up. Did you actually get approval first? Also, what’s a skip level, is that your supervisor’s supervisor? That doesn’t sound like disciplinary action to me, but each agency may differ.



This is important
Anonymous
Your supervisor probably consulted with his supervisor who suggested he email you the proper protocol so you can't claim later that you didn't know. He copied his supervisor. Don't use skip level. It's not a term in the federal government and it's also just cringe.

Just keep your head down and get your work done.
Anonymous
Anonymous wrote:You should be asking to switch not notifying. How many days are you in the office? Are you working eight hours on those days?




Not true. Telework is assigned. She needs to tell us what the telework agreement says and what office protocol is to ask for a switch.
Anonymous
Oh no. Yeah you can't tell your boss your neighbor is loud so you will be working from home. Doesn't work that way. Discuss the noise issue with your boss. I would definitely plan to be in the office on your assigned days (with a good headset).
Anonymous
Anonymous wrote:Oh no. Yeah you can't tell your boss your neighbor is loud so you will be working from home. Doesn't work that way. Discuss the noise issue with your boss. I would definitely plan to be in the office on your assigned days (with a good headset).


I was in the office but in a different location not at my cube due to noise. Telework request is a different request.
Anonymous
Also, OP, if you can’t work less than an8 hour day without having a formal, written approval for a Flex Schedule. I can’t remember what the one I have is called, but it specifies that as long as I work 40 hours a week, each day can deviate from the standard 8-hour day. This is built into my schedule so that I can take my kids to doctor’s appointments or pick them up from school and then make up my time by working late other days. Again, this is a formalized agreement.
Anonymous
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
i am a new fed.

I was surprised to receive an email from my supervisor asking me not to change my telework days and spend a minimum eight hours a day in the office. I had notified him few weeks ago a situation that would prevent me to be on the office on a specific day I had suggested. an alternate day he never responded. After a few weeks. He sent an email copying my skip Level asking me to stick to my approved in person days only. I am very confused. Is this a disciplinary action? Why did he never speak to me or respond to my stepaway from communication sent earlier and just sent me Written, communication adding my skip level. I thought i was keeping him informed it looks like something is amiss. I am anxious and confused. what should I do


He answered your email, answering your QUESTION, which you incorrectly assumed to be a "oh by the way, heads up".
Good point i should have asked not notified . l am working 8 hours but have to go to a quieter place as my neighbor runs team calls on speaker and it’s very hard for me to work or run my call in my cube.


What is this quieter place? Is it still in the office? You can’t just peace out and go home. You have to try to solve the problem (speak to neighbor, conf room, noise-canceling headphones)
Anonymous
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
i am a new fed.

I was surprised to receive an email from my supervisor asking me not to change my telework days and spend a minimum eight hours a day in the office. I had notified him few weeks ago a situation that would prevent me to be on the office on a specific day I had suggested. an alternate day he never responded. After a few weeks. He sent an email copying my skip Level asking me to stick to my approved in person days only. I am very confused. Is this a disciplinary action? Why did he never speak to me or respond to my stepaway from communication sent earlier and just sent me Written, communication adding my skip level. I thought i was keeping him informed it looks like something is amiss. I am anxious and confused. what should I do


He answered your email, answering your QUESTION, which you incorrectly assumed to be a "oh by the way, heads up".
Good point i should have asked not notified . l am working 8 hours but have to go to a quieter place as my neighbor runs team calls on speaker and it’s very hard for me to work or run my call in my cube.


What is this quieter place? Is it still in the office? You can’t just peace out and go home. You have to try to solve the problem (speak to neighbor, conf room, noise-canceling headphones)


yes still in office. Neighbor is so loud people on call can hear her loud despite my noise cancelling headset.
Anonymous
You need to respond in writing that you are confused about the 8 hour request, as you’ve been meeting a minimum of 8 hours a day in person when you are in the office. Note that X% of the time you are working in your assigned cube and the other x% of time you are taking calls from X location in the office, as a colleague takes calls on speaker and noise cancelling headphones are unable to block the noise from that colleague’s calls.
Anonymous
A simple replay back that, yes, I was in the office but, due to excess noise that disturbs on calls, I am located at X conference room frequently during the day. I sent you a note on X day about addressing the noise issues in the office. Let me know if you have time to discuss this on Wednesday.
Anonymous
Your original message said there was a situation from preventing you from being in the office on a certain day. Now you are saying you were in the office just in a different location in the office?

Well why didn't you just tell your boss that? Or are you not getting the response you want here so story is cuanging?

Anonymous
Did you ask permission to use a different work station? Maybe your supervisor thought you left?
Anonymous
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Oh no. Yeah you can't tell your boss your neighbor is loud so you will be working from home. Doesn't work that way. Discuss the noise issue with your boss. I would definitely plan to be in the office on your assigned days (with a good headset).


I was in the office but in a different location not at my cube due to noise. Telework request is a different request.


Yeah. That isn’t your call. You are being fired. Your generation hasn’t been taught how to hold a job. If you seriously aren’t aware of why you are being fired, I feel for you.
Anonymous
Anonymous wrote:Your original message said there was a situation from preventing you from being in the office on a certain day. Now you are saying you were in the office just in a different location in the office?

Well why didn't you just tell your boss that? Or are you not getting the response you want here so story is cuanging?



I think it's two separate issues but the OP's writing isn't exactly the clearest.
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