Fed parents - How do you feel on 'continuity via teleworking'?

[Anonymous]

This is the first year my agency has implemented the new 'no snow day for anyone eligible to telework' policy, and it dawned on me that I'm going to get screwed this winter. Every time daycare shuts down, I am stuck scrambling and paying for back up care (which I might not be able to get to if it snows or ices a ton), or I take annual leave. There are no more snow days. Looking at a winter that could rival '96, this is really getting me down. On top of it all, I don't get a daycare credit when they close for weather, even though the teachers don't get paid for those days.

I feel like I just paid back the leave I had to 'borrow' for maternity leave, and now it's going to go right back out the door for weather-related closures. Sure DH will split it 50/50, probably 75/25 since he has a more flexible employment situation, but it definitely puts a serious dent in my leave balance. And I don't even have a daycare that closes for a week each year, either...I really feel for those parents.

What are your thoughts, fellow Fed parents in the same boat? Suck it up?

[Anonymous]

If you weren't eligible for telework, wouldn't you still have to take leave if daycare shut down?

I think you are JUST talking about having to work on the off chance that the federal government is closed to the public (as happened this week for 2 days)... but that's fairly rare.

[Anonymous]

In the same situation and yeah, it sucks, but to me, it's a small price to pay for the flexibility of teleworking the rest of the year. Snow days/teleworking days are fairly rare, so even if we have to do it 5 times, it's still worth being able to telework 3 times a pay period. I had two kids in one year so did mostly LWOP for my second maternity leave, so I understand about being in the hole leave-wise. What DH and I will do is both telework, but switch off care in the morning and afternoon, so at least we're both able to work half a day.

[Anonymous]

Can you do comp time or credit hours?

[Anonymous]

My husband isn't eligible for teleworking, but if he were able to do so 3 days per pay period, that would be 4.5 free hours per pay period he'd gain from having no commit... about 9 extra hours per month, or an extra 11 days per year! If he could get that I'd encourage him to do so even if it meant giving up some snow days.

[Anonymous]

21:13 again. My agency sent out a bunch of guidance in the wake of Sandy that said that even if you normally would've been required to telework, you could be granted admin leave if you have something that impedes your ability to telework, such as your daycare being closed or other dependents. Our telework agreement states that you must have child care so I think they interpret that as if you don't have child care, you don't meet the requirements to telework and therefore could be given excused absence.

[Anonymous]

You may not be required to take leave if you can't arrange back-up care. See the following language from the "Frequently Asked Question" section of OPM's and GSA's, Interagency Telework Website:

What about teleworking employees during emergency closures such as extreme ice and snow days? Do they still telework?

"Employees who telework from home or from an alternative workplace are an invaluable resource to employers for keeping an agency operational during a time of emergency. Therefore, agencies may wish to modify their current policies concerning emergency situations to require telework employees to continue to work at their alternative worksites when the agency is closed. Teleworkers can be required to work during emergency closures even if that day is not a regular telework day or a day with specific approval for situational/episodic telework. If an agency chooses to require an employee to telework during emergency closures either on his or her regular telework day, or on any day when the agency is closed by an emergency, the agency should include this requirement as part of the employee's written telework agreement. On a case-by-case basis, an agency may excuse a telework employee from duty during an emergency if the emergency adversely affects the telework site, if the teleworker is unable to access the alternative telework site (telework center), if the teleworker faces a personal hardship (e.g. child care issues, the inability of telework center teleworkers to get to the centers, etc.) that prevent him or her from working successfully, or if the teleworker's duties are such that he or she cannot continue to work without contact with the regular worksite. Agency management officials are reminded that they should consult with their employees' unions before implementing new, or revised, telework policies."

http://www.telework.gov/faqs.asp

If I were you, I'd show this language to my supervisor.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You may not be required to take leave if you can't arrange back-up care. See the following language from the "Frequently Asked Question" section of OPM's and GSA's, Interagency Telework Website:

What about teleworking employees during emergency closures such as extreme ice and snow days? Do they still telework?

"Employees who telework from home or from an alternative workplace are an invaluable resource to employers for keeping an agency operational during a time of emergency. Therefore, agencies may wish to modify their current policies concerning emergency situations to require telework employees to continue to work at their alternative worksites when the agency is closed. Teleworkers can be required to work during emergency closures even if that day is not a regular telework day or a day with specific approval for situational/episodic telework. If an agency chooses to require an employee to telework during emergency closures either on his or her regular telework day, or on any day when the agency is closed by an emergency, the agency should include this requirement as part of the employee's written telework agreement. On a case-by-case basis, an agency may excuse a telework employee from duty during an emergency if the emergency adversely affects the telework site, if the teleworker is unable to access the alternative telework site (telework center), if the teleworker faces a personal hardship (e.g. child care issues, the inability of telework center teleworkers to get to the centers, etc.) that prevent him or her from working successfully, or if the teleworker's duties are such that he or she cannot continue to work without contact with the regular worksite. Agency management officials are reminded that they should consult with their employees' unions before implementing new, or revised, telework policies."

http://www.telework.gov/faqs.asp

If I were you, I'd show this language to my supervisor.

See also p.8 of this document:

http://www.opm.gov/oca/compmemo/dismissal.pdf

[Anonymous]

Yes..I worked the whole two days during Sandy and was told that it was all unapproved and technically should not have happened. I had to record the time as admin leave.

[Anonymous]

OP here - interesting, thanks. I am definitely going to bring that language up. I mean, in 2010 the govt was closed for 3 or 4 days straight. What if we get 2 storms like that???

Our agency had some specific guidance that addressed power outage or connectivity as the two reasons telework-ready folks would qualify for admin leave, but nothing about childcare. Perhaps they didn't want to open the flood gates...

[Anonymous]

Interesting. I assumed if you didn't have childcare, you'd have to take leave. It sounds like they're allowing agencies flexibility in how they want to handle that.