OPM Guidance on COVID-19

[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?

Haven't you noticed that stubborn cough you've had for the last few days? I've had one too, and will have it next week and the week after unfortunately.

[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?

Haven't you noticed that stubborn cough you've had for the last few days? I've had one too, and will have it next week and the week after unfortunately.

If I'm still expected in next week, I will no longer be sure I'm experiencing the usual spring pollen allergies, and will need to stay home just in case.

[Anonymous]

Now that congress has shut down, will feds whose agency has begun widespread telework please name names?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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?

Per Google, that's a DHS building. They could've ended a lease there and moved elsewhere, unrelated.

Department-Homeland Security
301 7th St SW, Washington, DC 20407

[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!

Are you SSA? It sounds like my agency.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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!

Are you SSA? It sounds like my agency.

DP - DH is at a different agency and it is like that.

[Anonymous]

This is absolutely ridiculous. OPM should be starting voluntary telework now. Mandatory will come in a few weeks when it's even worse. It would be better to start mandatory now, to "flatten the curve" but nobody has that kind of courage or foresightedness in this administration. People will have to die in droves before adequate measures are taken.

At my agency (EPA) we are mostly telework ready -- we have laptops, training, remote capabilities. At least 50% of the agency routinely teleworks. So why not start it now?

The lack of ... competence, courage, determination is just stunning.

[Anonymous]

My agency keeps telling us their main goal is to “protect their workforce” but we’re public facing and I probably meet with ten people every day in their office settings. All they’re having us do for now is document what limitations we’re having as companies and facilities stop allowing visitors or move to telework. We could still accomplish a lot of our mission working from home full time.

[Anonymous]

I am hoping OPM authorizes some kind of administrative leave for those stuck at home due to school closures who cannot telework. Otherwise, me and everyone I work with are going to burn through all our annual leave really quickly (can't take sick leave since nobody is actually sick).

[Anonymous]

My agency's big announcement was that offices are open as normal and we're on voluntary telework, with exceptions and special circumstances to be approved by the second level supervisor. Monday is the last day I'll even consider going in due to a big meeting that I hope gets canceled, and then I'm putting in my full time telework request.

[Anonymous]

Our Department keeps sending out “make sure you’re telework ready” emails that point out that telework is used in snow emergencies.

[Anonymous]

Just saw this on NPR

In a reversal for the Trump administration, the government's human resources office, the Office of Personnel Management, says agencies must now incorporate telework as part of their "continuity of operations" plans.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Just saw this on NPR

In a reversal for the Trump administration, the government's human resources office, the Office of Personnel Management, says agencies must now incorporate telework as part of their "continuity of operations" plans.

Bad move. This only makes investors worked up about the virus and tanks the market further. Contrary to media and Democrat claims, the President is trying to protect 401ks.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My agency keeps telling us their main goal is to “protect their workforce” but we’re public facing and I probably meet with ten people every day in their office settings. All they’re having us do for now is document what limitations we’re having as companies and facilities stop allowing visitors or move to telework. We could still accomplish a lot of our mission working from home full time.

Your agency’s main goal is continuing operations. As it should be.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Just saw this on NPR

In a reversal for the Trump administration, the government's human resources office, the Office of Personnel Management, says agencies must now incorporate telework as part of their "continuity of operations" plans.

It's not clear what this means though.