Surprise email from Supervisor

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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 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

Was it a one off re: telework day you were seeking permission to change or is it that you want a permanent, ongoing schedule change?

Them thinking you are not working 8 hours because you are not at your desk is a really unfortunate impression that has been created and one that will take time and consistency to correct. You need to understand you are asking permission to make changes, OP, not informing. They think you are playing fast and loose and are taking advantage. You need to correct that in words, in writing and in consistent action of being where you are supposed to be during agreed to hours. If you need a different work station make a proposal to your boss and get his/her decision.

The agency parking was full on the first few weeks of my in person day hence I requested a different day when parking was available. So one off request.

Oh, OP, you aren’t a problem solver are you? You think you are fixing things but you just don’t understand that being new means you keep quiet, do your work, pay attention to how things work. You accommodate them and once you’re established yourself as a good work, then you can slowly see about getting things changed.

OP literally solved the problem by offering to switch telework to a different day. Which is a totally logical thing to do.

Except that isn’t how it works in Op’s agency. Or she wouldn’t have received the email from her supervisor.

Or OP’s supervisor is rigid, in addition to being a poor communicator. Come on people.

You know nothing of OP’s supervisor and nothing about being a fed supervisor. Who are you to judge?

What judgment? Offering an alternative to the narrative that is being constructed by people here with very little information. OP asked to switch their days because of an issue and the supervisor did not respond. That’s poor form. Then OP’s supervisor went straight to upper management without talking to the employee. Also seems like poor form to me.

I know enough to say that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The problem is that OP’s supervisor didn’t say anything to OP before raising the issue up and basically accusing OP of time card fraud without a conversation. That’s pretty crappy.

A) you actually don’t know what happened. You are getting only OP’s side (and poorly reported) side of the story
B) OP buried the lead about the 8 hour missing time problem-another had to pull that fact out of her
C) the supervisor did not “basically accuse OP of time card fraud” anywhere
D) fed supervisors have a lot to do and often have many to supervise. I had 105 employees reporting to me. Supervisor and HR thinks the new employee is AWOL and OP has admitted she goes to a “quiet place” which I suspect was home. And they can document it or they wouldn’t have sent that email
E) so instead of trying to find a way to
blame the supervisor (not the subject of this thread) why don’t you help OP to become more professional and solve her problem?

You seem extremely defensive about an issue you don’t know much about either. I think OP has legitimate reason to worry, and as this is a discussion forum, I believe there are two sides to every story.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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 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

Was it a one off re: telework day you were seeking permission to change or is it that you want a permanent, ongoing schedule change?

Them thinking you are not working 8 hours because you are not at your desk is a really unfortunate impression that has been created and one that will take time and consistency to correct. You need to understand you are asking permission to make changes, OP, not informing. They think you are playing fast and loose and are taking advantage. You need to correct that in words, in writing and in consistent action of being where you are supposed to be during agreed to hours. If you need a different work station make a proposal to your boss and get his/her decision.

The agency parking was full on the first few weeks of my in person day hence I requested a different day when parking was available. So one off request.

You young people. Get.there.earlier.use.public.transportation. Why is it so hard for you people to understand the world doesn’t revolve around your needs. Lol.

Our agency has a parking request queue which fills up months ahead of time. She may have started and not realized her in office days were already oversubscribed in parking. I doubt it was part of her intake briefing of current allocation.

That’s what it sounded like to me. I think OP is communicating just fine. I don’t get why so many of you are having terrible understanding a simple issue.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The problem is that OP’s supervisor didn’t say anything to OP before raising the issue up and basically accusing OP of time card fraud without a conversation. That’s pretty crappy.

And the OP did say they were working somewhere else for any reason. So the supervisor has no way of knowing. They see their employee is jot there but timecard says they are working.

easy solution—ask the employee where they were before escalating. Seems over the top to do that to a new employee who is getting used to a new environment, based on the information we have here.

The employee should talk to their supervisor and clarify expectations regarding presence at their desk vs. working elsewhere in the building because of noise. They should also confirm which days they will be in the office per their telework agreement and stick to those days as requested by their supervisor. Hopefully that is all that’s going on here but I doubt it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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 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

Was it a one off re: telework day you were seeking permission to change or is it that you want a permanent, ongoing schedule change?

Them thinking you are not working 8 hours because you are not at your desk is a really unfortunate impression that has been created and one that will take time and consistency to correct. You need to understand you are asking permission to make changes, OP, not informing. They think you are playing fast and loose and are taking advantage. You need to correct that in words, in writing and in consistent action of being where you are supposed to be during agreed to hours. If you need a different work station make a proposal to your boss and get his/her decision.

The agency parking was full on the first few weeks of my in person day hence I requested a different day when parking was available. So one off request.

You young people. Get.there.earlier.use.public.transportation. Why is it so hard for you people to understand the world doesn’t revolve around your needs. Lol.

Our agency has a parking request queue which fills up months ahead of time. She may have started and not realized her in office days were already oversubscribed in parking. I doubt it was part of her intake briefing of current allocation.

That’s what it sounded like to me. I think OP is communicating just fine. I don’t get why so many of you are having terrible understanding a simple issue.

People are trolling OP. They're scaring the shit out of her and making her feel like a terrible employee just so they can pat themselves on the back.

[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.

I would start looking for a new job. They are creating the necessary paper trail for releasing you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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 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

Was it a one off re: telework day you were seeking permission to change or is it that you want a permanent, ongoing schedule change?

Them thinking you are not working 8 hours because you are not at your desk is a really unfortunate impression that has been created and one that will take time and consistency to correct. You need to understand you are asking permission to make changes, OP, not informing. They think you are playing fast and loose and are taking advantage. You need to correct that in words, in writing and in consistent action of being where you are supposed to be during agreed to hours. If you need a different work station make a proposal to your boss and get his/her decision.

The agency parking was full on the first few weeks of my in person day hence I requested a different day when parking was available. So one off request.

You young people. Get.there.earlier.use.public.transportation. Why is it so hard for you people to understand the world doesn’t revolve around your needs. Lol.

Our agency has a parking request queue which fills up months ahead of time. She may have started and not realized her in office days were already oversubscribed in parking. I doubt it was part of her intake briefing of current allocation.

That’s what it sounded like to me. I think OP is communicating just fine. I don’t get why so many of you are having terrible understanding a simple issue.

People are trolling OP. They're scaring the shit out of her and making her feel like a terrible employee just so they can pat themselves on the back.

That is terrible. I don’t understand people like that, just mean.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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 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

Was it a one off re: telework day you were seeking permission to change or is it that you want a permanent, ongoing schedule change?

Them thinking you are not working 8 hours because you are not at your desk is a really unfortunate impression that has been created and one that will take time and consistency to correct. You need to understand you are asking permission to make changes, OP, not informing. They think you are playing fast and loose and are taking advantage. You need to correct that in words, in writing and in consistent action of being where you are supposed to be during agreed to hours. If you need a different work station make a proposal to your boss and get his/her decision.

The agency parking was full on the first few weeks of my in person day hence I requested a different day when parking was available. So one off request.

You young people. Get.there.earlier.use.public.transportation. Why is it so hard for you people to understand the world doesn’t revolve around your needs. Lol.

Our agency has a parking request queue which fills up months ahead of time. She may have started and not realized her in office days were already oversubscribed in parking. I doubt it was part of her intake briefing of current allocation.

That’s what it sounded like to me. I think OP is communicating just fine. I don’t get why so many of you are having terrible understanding a simple issue.

People are trolling OP. They're scaring the shit out of her and making her feel like a terrible employee just so they can pat themselves on the back.

Let me guess what generation you are from. Bosses don’t like to be given an “fyi” that an employee is switching agreed upon teleworking dates. In a probationary period, no less. They like it even less, when the employee explains they can’t possibly make it to work on agreed upon day because of…parking. As I type this out, I call troll on this. Especially, since they threw in the not at the desk 8 hours a day to make it even crazier.

[Anonymous]

Actually, I don’t really care if my team members switch their telework days unless I had planned for in-person meetings etc. it makes zero difference to our work.

Some of you sound extremely uptight. To the PP who said they have 105 direct reports in government… I really doubt that!!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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 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

Was it a one off re: telework day you were seeking permission to change or is it that you want a permanent, ongoing schedule change?

Them thinking you are not working 8 hours because you are not at your desk is a really unfortunate impression that has been created and one that will take time and consistency to correct. You need to understand you are asking permission to make changes, OP, not informing. They think you are playing fast and loose and are taking advantage. You need to correct that in words, in writing and in consistent action of being where you are supposed to be during agreed to hours. If you need a different work station make a proposal to your boss and get his/her decision.

The agency parking was full on the first few weeks of my in person day hence I requested a different day when parking was available. So one off request.

Oh, OP, you aren’t a problem solver are you? You think you are fixing things but you just don’t understand that being new means you keep quiet, do your work, pay attention to how things work. You accommodate them and once you’re established yourself as a good work, then you can slowly see about getting things changed.

OP literally solved the problem by offering to switch telework to a different day. Which is a totally logical thing to do.

Except that isn’t how it works in Op’s agency. Or she wouldn’t have received the email from her supervisor.

Or OP’s supervisor is rigid, in addition to being a poor communicator. Come on people.

You know nothing of OP’s supervisor and nothing about being a fed supervisor. Who are you to judge?

What judgment? Offering an alternative to the narrative that is being constructed by people here with very little information. OP asked to switch their days because of an issue and the supervisor did not respond. That’s poor form. Then OP’s supervisor went straight to upper management without talking to the employee. Also seems like poor form to me.

I know enough to say that.

You don't know that at all.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Actually, I don’t really care if my team members switch their telework days unless I had planned for in-person meetings etc. it makes zero difference to our work.

Some of you sound extremely uptight. To the PP who said they have 105 direct reports in government… I really doubt that!!

OK, I had three deputies under me, but 105 total. And I had to deal with the personnel issues of all 105.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Actually, I don’t really care if my team members switch their telework days unless I had planned for in-person meetings etc. it makes zero difference to our work.

Some of you sound extremely uptight. To the PP who said they have 105 direct reports in government… I really doubt that!!

Every agency has different work and different needs. Obviously trying to switch for weird parking reasons was not acceptable at this agency. And she or he shouldn't have asked so soon and certainly shouldn't have just done it without getting approval

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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 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

Was it a one off re: telework day you were seeking permission to change or is it that you want a permanent, ongoing schedule change?

Them thinking you are not working 8 hours because you are not at your desk is a really unfortunate impression that has been created and one that will take time and consistency to correct. You need to understand you are asking permission to make changes, OP, not informing. They think you are playing fast and loose and are taking advantage. You need to correct that in words, in writing and in consistent action of being where you are supposed to be during agreed to hours. If you need a different work station make a proposal to your boss and get his/her decision.

The agency parking was full on the first few weeks of my in person day hence I requested a different day when parking was available. So one off request.

You young people. Get.there.earlier.use.public.transportation. Why is it so hard for you people to understand the world doesn’t revolve around your needs. Lol.

Our agency has a parking request queue which fills up months ahead of time. She may have started and not realized her in office days were already oversubscribed in parking. I doubt it was part of her intake briefing of current allocation.

That’s what it sounded like to me. I think OP is communicating just fine. I don’t get why so many of you are having terrible understanding a simple issue.

People are trolling OP. They're scaring the shit out of her and making her feel like a terrible employee just so they can pat themselves on the back.

That is terrible. I don’t understand people like that, just mean.[/quote]


I don't think they are being mean at all. OP came on here to ask what we thought. We are telling her what we think. So now the forum police say we are just to read what someone posts and not express an opinion? Even if we have had federal agency supervisor experience? OK, I get it. Bye bye

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Actually, I don’t really care if my team members switch their telework days unless I had planned for in-person meetings etc. it makes zero difference to our work.

Some of you sound extremely uptight. To the PP who said they have 105 direct reports in government… I really doubt that!!

OK, I had three deputies under me, but 105 total. And I had to deal with the personnel issues of all 105.

Your deputies handled requests about switching telework days I’m sure. And I bet they had further management under them that could handle those things. Don’t tell me you had three deputies and you personally handled small stuff like that. That reflects poorly on your ability to delegate.

When did you retire?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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 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

Was it a one off re: telework day you were seeking permission to change or is it that you want a permanent, ongoing schedule change?

Them thinking you are not working 8 hours because you are not at your desk is a really unfortunate impression that has been created and one that will take time and consistency to correct. You need to understand you are asking permission to make changes, OP, not informing. They think you are playing fast and loose and are taking advantage. You need to correct that in words, in writing and in consistent action of being where you are supposed to be during agreed to hours. If you need a different work station make a proposal to your boss and get his/her decision.

The agency parking was full on the first few weeks of my in person day hence I requested a different day when parking was available. So one off request.

Oh, OP, you aren’t a problem solver are you? You think you are fixing things but you just don’t understand that being new means you keep quiet, do your work, pay attention to how things work. You accommodate them and once you’re established yourself as a good work, then you can slowly see about getting things changed.

OP literally solved the problem by offering to switch telework to a different day. Which is a totally logical thing to do.

Except that isn’t how it works in Op’s agency. Or she wouldn’t have received the email from her supervisor.

Or OP’s supervisor is rigid, in addition to being a poor communicator. Come on people.

You know nothing of OP’s supervisor and nothing about being a fed supervisor. Who are you to judge?

What judgment? Offering an alternative to the narrative that is being constructed by people here with very little information. OP asked to switch their days because of an issue and the supervisor did not respond. That’s poor form. Then OP’s supervisor went straight to upper management without talking to the employee. Also seems like poor form to me.

I know enough to say that.

You don't know that at all.

That is what OP said happened. Supervisor did not speak with her or respond to her email before copying upper management. Wild.