Social Security Administration and taking away telework

[Anonymous]

Who is going to apply for the SSA attorney advisor jobs with no telework?

[Anonymous]

Nice. I am happy they are doing it.

[Anonymous]

Good, can’t wait to see the endless rounds of social security appeals take EVEN longer because of this. Maybe this’ll be the impetus to finally abolish that entire system.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Didn't the Patent and Trademark Office greatly curtail or eliminate much of its telework several years ago? I'm pretty sure it did so.

No. In fact, the Patent Office has increased telework for their staff.

https://www.uspto.gov/sites/default/files/documents/Telework_Annual_Report_2018%20508%20Compliant.pdf

My buddy is a GS-9 that works there, but works from home full time in a low cost of living area in the south. According to him if they ha

[Anonymous]

The problem with this "trend" is that remote work saves on office space and costs. A few agencies caused a big stir early this Administration by rescinding telework, but in reality people are still teleworking because there are not desks to place those people at if they stop teleworking.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Who is going to apply for the SSA attorney advisor jobs with no telework?

I’m an SSA Attorney Advisor. And no one, because it’s so hard to get above a GS 13. Telework is a big reason many people stay. Lot of parents— often moms— in these jobs because they work so well with a family. Under telework, they’ve slashed the backlog and the hard numbers are there on to say productivity and quality are up on telework days.

And it’s not just finding people. SSA regulatory review is a specialized skill set and you don’t learn it overnight.

SSA is a huge agency. Operations staff in Baltimore and OAO attorneys in FC/CC/Wabash are completely different things. SSA was getting hammered about the ALJ plus AC backlog a few years ago. WaPo stories on the “million case backlog” and the “biggest backlog in the federal government”. Now they’ve cut it in half. Plus, they are are having huge waves on the people who know what they are doing retiring, with a lot more scheduled.

Also, SSA has a Commissioner on a 6 year appointment— so less subject to Trump’s whims than most agencies.

I think a core day would help a lot. Besides that? Maybe I’m being optimistic, but I think the new Commissioner has bigger fish to fry than breaking something that works well. Almost all voters on both sides of the aisle care a lot when SSA when SSA isn’t working well.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Do folks think this is the new trend for federal agencies? I hope they don’t abolish it.

They should. I know people who "telework" who go grocery shopping, take kids to medical appointments and one who went Christmas shopping. It's a sham. You have a job and it should be performed at your office!

Ok, Boomer.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Didn't the Patent and Trademark Office greatly curtail or eliminate much of its telework several years ago? I'm pretty sure it did so.
So, it's not a new trend. But I agree with the PP saying it hurts federal hiring. Fewer and fewer people who are qualified for these SSA or PTO jobs are going to want to apply if there is no option for telework. Reducing or taking away flexibility -- not the way to go if the agencies want to hire and keep people today. It's sad because these agencies perform vital work.

Not true at all. The telework program still exist.

[Anonymous]

Seemed odd to me that they cut the program entirely rather than curtail it for individuals with productivity issues. Alternatively, perhaps the jobs in that division are public facing and don't lend themselves well to teleworking but one wonders why that was not readily ascertainable prior to launching the pilot program.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Do folks think this is the new trend for federal agencies? I hope they don’t abolish it.

They should. I know people who "telework" who go grocery shopping, take kids to medical appointments and one who went Christmas shopping. It's a sham. You have a job and it should be performed at your office!

Our agency showed that teleworkers were more productive and had better quality on average. Those that began teleworking had higher production than in when in the Office. I telework. If I go to a kid’s medical appointment I use my sick leave which is allowed which is the same as if I were in the Office. If I use mid-day Flex to run an errand (also allowed), I make up the hours later in the day/week or weekends and if I can’t I use my leave.

All of my friends who are NOT Feds telework— in IT, software, lawyers, etc. It is commonplace in 2019. I think 95% of workers in my HHI neighborhood telework at least part of the week, many full-time.

How did they do that? Seriously curious.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Seemed odd to me that they cut the program entirely rather than curtail it for individuals with productivity issues. Alternatively, perhaps the jobs in that division are public facing and don't lend themselves well to teleworking but one wonders why that was not readily ascertainable prior to launching the pilot program.

From a fed manager's perspective and from what I see attending management meetings throughout my department, it's very hard to curtail things for some employees (those with productivity issues) but not others. They file grievances, fake EEOs and even sometimes get lawyers. Even when you have ironclad evidence, it's still very difficult and you basically can't ever fire someone. It would be great to have a more dynamic hiring and firing system, but it doesn't exist.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Seemed odd to me that they cut the program entirely rather than curtail it for individuals with productivity issues. Alternatively, perhaps the jobs in that division are public facing and don't lend themselves well to teleworking but one wonders why that was not readily ascertainable prior to launching the pilot program.

From a fed manager's perspective and from what I see attending management meetings throughout my department, it's very hard to curtail things for some employees (those with productivity issues) but not others. They file grievances, fake EEOs and even sometimes get lawyers. Even when you have ironclad evidence, it's still very difficult and you basically can't ever fire someone. It would be great to have a more dynamic hiring and firing system, but it doesn't exist.

Well, look at the positive side though... It allows you to be on dcum middle of work day so...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Seemed odd to me that they cut the program entirely rather than curtail it for individuals with productivity issues. Alternatively, perhaps the jobs in that division are public facing and don't lend themselves well to teleworking but one wonders why that was not readily ascertainable prior to launching the pilot program.

From a fed manager's perspective and from what I see attending management meetings throughout my department, it's very hard to curtail things for some employees (those with productivity issues) but not others. They file grievances, fake EEOs and even sometimes get lawyers. Even when you have ironclad evidence, it's still very difficult and you basically can't ever fire someone. It would be great to have a more dynamic hiring and firing system, but it doesn't exist.

Well, look at the positive side though... It allows you to be on dcum middle of work day so...

Well I'm actually teleworking, so... Just kidding, I'm in a uber between meetings. But thanks for your concern.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Seemed odd to me that they cut the program entirely rather than curtail it for individuals with productivity issues. Alternatively, perhaps the jobs in that division are public facing and don't lend themselves well to teleworking but one wonders why that was not readily ascertainable prior to launching the pilot program.

From a fed manager's perspective and from what I see attending management meetings throughout my department, it's very hard to curtail things for some employees (those with productivity issues) but not others. They file grievances, fake EEOs and even sometimes get lawyers. Even when you have ironclad evidence, it's still very difficult and you basically can't ever fire someone. It would be great to have a more dynamic hiring and firing system, but it doesn't exist.

Well, look at the positive side though... It allows you to be on dcum middle of work day so...

Well I'm actually teleworking, so... Just kidding, I'm in a uber between meetings. But thanks for your concern.

LOL @ in Uber... STill govt time dude.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Who is going to apply for the SSA attorney advisor jobs with no telework?

I’m an SSA Attorney Advisor. And no one, because it’s so hard to get above a GS 13. Telework is a big reason many people stay. Lot of parents— often moms— in these jobs because they work so well with a family. Under telework, they’ve slashed the backlog and the hard numbers are there on to say productivity and quality are up on telework days.

And it’s not just finding people. SSA regulatory review is a specialized skill set and you don’t learn it overnight.

SSA is a huge agency. Operations staff in Baltimore and OAO attorneys in FC/CC/Wabash are completely different things. SSA was getting hammered about the ALJ plus AC backlog a few years ago. WaPo stories on the “million case backlog” and the “biggest backlog in the federal government”. Now they’ve cut it in half. Plus, they are are having huge waves on the people who know what they are doing retiring, with a lot more scheduled.

Also, SSA has a Commissioner on a 6 year appointment— so less subject to Trump’s whims than most agencies.

I think a core day would help a lot. Besides that? Maybe I’m being optimistic, but I think the new Commissioner has bigger fish to fry than breaking something that works well. Almost all voters on both sides of the aisle care a lot when SSA when SSA isn’t working well.

You are being optimistic. The word is that the new Commissioner is old school and not a fan of telework. On the plus side, people will have snow days again since they can no longer telework. No more working when the office is closed.