Telework abuse - would you report?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Manager here. Please report. Most likely we know, but have no proof to pull her off telework.

+1

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:One of my colleagues teleworks 2x a week on Mondays and Fridays and is never available early or late in the day. A colleague with a SAHM who lives in the same neighborhood reports seeing her at the playground/library etc routinely on these days.

Is there any way of broaching it with them to let them know their presence is being noted? Or should we MYOB?

Op, are they seeing her those days, or the times when she is missing? There is difference! If she is teleworking, she cans still take lunch hours to the library or park, isn't that true?

[Anonymous]

Stay out of it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:One of my colleagues teleworks 2x a week on Mondays and Fridays and is never available early or late in the day. A colleague with a SAHM who lives in the same neighborhood reports seeing her at the playground/library etc routinely on these days.

Is there any way of broaching it with them to let them know their presence is being noted? Or should we MYOB?

Op, are they seeing her those days, or the times when she is missing? There is difference! If she is teleworking, she cans still take lunch hours to the library or park, isn't that true?

Colleague's SAHM wife reports seeing this person out and about with her kids in the late afternoon. She runs into them because she is out with her own preschool/elementary aged kids at the same places. So if my colleague is to believed, there is no doubt in our minds that she is not at home working.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Rather then report it (since you don't know for sure), why not just ask her why she's never available during those times? At the very least, it will put her on notice.

"Jane, Larlo and I were talking about how we would like to close out the email chain on this issue and get this client issue settled before we head home for the weekend. Can you give your final input by COB Friday?"

[Anonymous]

Do you lack proper communication skills? How about you talk to your coworker, peasant.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Rather then report it (since you don't know for sure), why not just ask her why she's never available during those times? At the very least, it will put her on notice.

This.

What's bugging you is that she's not available when she should be. So address that issue specifically.

[Anonymous]

Our company policy is that telework should be done during normal work hours, and one should always be accessible by phone/email during those hours. However, my manager is quite flexible and doesn't care how we use our time as long as the work is getting done. I pick up my kids early and take them to the park, and then log on after my husband gets home to finish my work. My manager is aware.

I think you should mind your own business if this doesn't affect you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:One of my colleagues teleworks 2x a week on Mondays and Fridays and is never available early or late in the day. A colleague with a SAHM who lives in the same neighborhood reports seeing her at the playground/library etc routinely on these days.

Is there any way of broaching it with them to let them know their presence is being noted? Or should we MYOB?

Op, are they seeing her those days, or the times when she is missing? There is difference! If she is teleworking, she cans still take lunch hours to the library or park, isn't that true?

Colleague's SAHM wife reports seeing this person out and about with her kids in the late afternoon. She runs into them because she is out with her own preschool/elementary aged kids at the same places. So if my colleague is to believed, there is no doubt in our minds that she is not at home working.

This SAHM needs to get a life. God forbid a working mom spends an hour with her kids during the day

[Anonymous]

She could be on her lunch break. Duh! My your own business!

[Anonymous]

Assuming her work is getting done, it really doesn't matter. There is no glory in sitting by the computer puttering around or making tasks take longer just to kill time. If it's a problem, it's on her manager to address it.

[Anonymous]

OP, unless you can have a direct conversation with the alleged offender to confirm that she is abusing the telework policy, MYOB. Don't start fucking with people's livelihoods because you think you're doing a good deed. Not only could you be wrong, but you could also embarrass yourself by sticking your nose in other grown folks' affairs.

[Anonymous]

Even though I'm in the MYOB camp, I wanted to say I feel your pain. From an idealistic perspective, it's flat out not fair. She's abusing the system and her coworkers have to deal with the consequences. But... life isn't fair, and this is just one more thing to suck up.

One thing you could do is to CC your supervisor or manager when you try to contact her on these days. They may recognize the lapse themselves, and if it ever does come up or become an issue later, they will have months of proof at their disposal.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Maybe she's taking leave for those times. Did that ever occur to you?

+1, you don't know whether she put in for leave. In theory you also would not know if she had a part-time or flex-time schedule (though in practice, colleagues usually do know). MYOB unless you are in a position to know her leave schedule, OR her absence is affecting your work, which would be an issue even if it is approved leave.

Ignore the supervisor upthread who says she needs the info: supervisor should be verifying availability and productivity directly, not relying on somebody's wife's report.

[Anonymous]

OP here: I like the suggestion to copy our supervisor on these emails so he can come to his own conclusions.

For those of you who are talking about her taking leave, flex-schedules, this is an ongoing issue with a consistent pattern of behavior (email Jane on Friday at 2, wait to hear from her after 10 on Monday).

Also, this is a fairly small group in a Fed job where things are more transparent than mega-offices where folk are working off-site, traveling etc, taking conference calls etc.