OPM Guidance on COVID-19

[Anonymous]

My agency is packed today. We're all engineers who can easily telework 100% of the time. We've received no guidance except wash your hands. I'm scared and worried and want to telework. I spoke to my manager about it yesterday who reiterated that I only get one day a week. What do I have to do to be allowed to telework?! Get sick?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My agency is packed today. We're all engineers who can easily telework 100% of the time. We've received no guidance except wash your hands. I'm scared and worried and want to telework. I spoke to my manager about it yesterday who reiterated that I only get one day a week. What do I have to do to be allowed to telework?! Get sick?

Well then you better take sick leave.....the answer is exposure to someone who tested positive.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:I heard HHS has gone to telework and the building is pretty much closed (lights out, but security is still there).

I hadn’t heard that on the news, but I heard it directly from two people who work in the building.

Are other federal offices on telework? Since the non-fed offices in dc typically follow their lead, it would be helpful to know.

That’s not the case with HHS at all.

I heard the building at 301 7th St, SW is essentially closed and everyone was told to telework. Two feds told me that. They said security guards are still there, but lights are out and it’s a ghost town.

There are many HHS buildings. All agencies under HHS have not been told to WAH.

Can anyone confirm if that building has gone to telework status?

I don’t know and don’t know what’s in that bldg but that’s not the main HHS bldg or one of the satellite buildings with a lot of HHS, there are also HHS offices in Arlington, Rockville, Bethesda, Silver Spring

[Anonymous]

My DH is with State and his office is doing a telework test run next week.

[Anonymous]

Although my agency is promoting more telework and have said non-essential international official travel is cancelled. However, they said domestic official travel will continue. Given what happened on Jet Blue today, if I do contract the COVID-19 while on official travel, do I get worker's comp?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My DH is with State and his office is doing a telework test run next week.

My DH is at Treasury and he texted me that they are doing a trial telework on Monday. We'll see how that goes as the kids will be home too. Not sure how much work will get done.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Although my agency is promoting more telework and have said non-essential international official travel is cancelled. However, they said domestic official travel will continue. Given what happened on Jet Blue today, if I do contract the COVID-19 while on official travel, do I get worker's comp?

No. I know someone who something similar that happened to him on international travel (he's not military). He was treated at a base overseas, but then was put on disability. He was able to return to work though eventually and they held his job.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My DH is with State and his office is doing a telework test run next week.

Also at State - yes, huge coordinated TW test run next week. We are being told it is 100% mandatory to TW on the days indicated regardless of your employment status, whether you even have a TW agreement, etc.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My agency is packed today. We're all engineers who can easily telework 100% of the time. We've received no guidance except wash your hands. I'm scared and worried and want to telework. I spoke to my manager about it yesterday who reiterated that I only get one day a week. What do I have to do to be allowed to telework?! Get sick?

Well then you better take sick leave.....the answer is exposure to someone who tested positive.

Rumors are at my agency exposure isn’t enough. We won’t change anything until we have a confirmed employee diagnosis and even then it sounds like things will be case by case. Even though we have highly independent work and telework capabilities. I’m so upset with upper management right now for not taking this thing seriously beyond a couple email reminders to wash our hands!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My DH is with State and his office is doing a telework test run next week.

Also at State - yes, huge coordinated TW test run next week. We are being told it is 100% mandatory to TW on the days indicated regardless of your employment status, whether you even have a TW agreement, etc.

Also at State and we've been told next week's "test" is just the beginning of an indefinite plan. Max 50% of each office in the building on any given day and no mixing of groups. Our boss had to submit a plan to the head of the bureau for the next month by COB today.

[Anonymous]

DOJ says situational telework only for those at increased risk (older people and those with compromised immune systems).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My DH is with State and his office is doing a telework test run next week.

Also at State - yes, huge coordinated TW test run next week. We are being told it is 100% mandatory to TW on the days indicated regardless of your employment status, whether you even have a TW agreement, etc.

Also at State and we've been told next week's "test" is just the beginning of an indefinite plan. Max 50% of each office in the building on any given day and no mixing of groups. Our boss had to submit a plan to the head of the bureau for the next month by COB today.

None of us understand this “team” or “group” thing. In my bureau (don’t know if this applies to everyone) we are divided into two teams, one team who does M/T and one Th/F and we all come in on Wednesday. We are all puzzled by what this will accomplish besides being a test run, but it’s being taken so seriously that it seems there is some sort of ultimate point or motive.

[Anonymous]

Bureau of Labor Statistics is having a mandatory telework day tomorrow as a test. There are going to be some bumps, but I am mostly confident in senior leadership to get it figured out.

[Anonymous]

GSA told everyone to telework.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My agency is packed today. We're all engineers who can easily telework 100% of the time. We've received no guidance except wash your hands. I'm scared and worried and want to telework. I spoke to my manager about it yesterday who reiterated that I only get one day a week. What do I have to do to be allowed to telework?! Get sick?

Well then you better take sick leave.....the answer is exposure to someone who tested positive.

Rumors are at my agency exposure isn’t enough. We won’t change anything until we have a confirmed employee diagnosis and even then it sounds like things will be case by case. Even though we have highly independent work and telework capabilities. I’m so upset with upper management right now for not taking this thing seriously beyond a couple email reminders to wash our hands!

Upper management drive to work and get parking in the bldg. They are buffered from the masses. Try hacking coughing outside their office.