Telework Time & Attendance Investigations (Federal)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:People who think this way and are so invested in monitoring the behavior of others typically aren’t very bright and are usually projecting something about themselves.

Or managers would just like another tool to use. I have employees who do little to no work but say they’re working on X.

And if the keystroke software told you they were working, but X was still going slowly, what then? You would hopefully step in to figure it out. So why not skip straight to doing that?

The employee may be stuck on something, or gone down a tangent, or not have the right training or tools - which are issues managers help with. It doesn't begin or end with making sure they're not slacking, because the effort is not the point.

[Anonymous]

Some agencies are doing it.
https://www.govexec.com/workforce/2021/09/agency-threatens-discipline-after-monitoring-employee-computer-logs-and-alleging-telework-non-productivity/185236/

[Anonymous]

Most of them know employees watch YouTube and do errands. Only the ones with personality disorders run around and try to start shit.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:People who think this way and are so invested in monitoring the behavior of others typically aren’t very bright and are usually projecting something about themselves.

Or managers would just like another tool to use. I have employees who do little to no work but say they’re working on X.

And if the keystroke software told you they were working, but X was still going slowly, what then? You would hopefully step in to figure it out. So why not skip straight to doing that?

The employee may be stuck on something, or gone down a tangent, or not have the right training or tools - which are issues managers help with. It doesn't begin or end with making sure they're not slacking, because the effort is not the point.

I work and work and work with an employee who keeps telling me that X report takes this long to do. Except everyone around them finishes similar reports in 1/4 the time. I have worked with him so much that I don't know if he's not working or just very slow. One is disciplinary and the other might mean he needs to be demoted a grade and given easier work.

[Anonymous]

Many such investigations begin with an informant making an allegation, sometimes anonymously and sometimes not, through a hotline/tipline, sometimes to an agency's internal affairs or security component. Such allegations can originate from disgruntled spouses or romantic partners, from "friends", and from colleagues. In the face of such allegations agencies will investigate; capabilities in that regard vary widely between agencies but criminal charges do sometimes result, as does administrative action which can include termination from employment.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Many such investigations begin with an informant making an allegation, sometimes anonymously and sometimes not, through a hotline/tipline, sometimes to an agency's internal affairs or security component. Such allegations can originate from disgruntled spouses or romantic partners, from "friends", and from colleagues. In the face of such allegations agencies will investigate; capabilities in that regard vary widely between agencies but criminal charges do sometimes result, as does administrative action which can include termination from employment.

Absolutely, and this is how you know the remote fed employee on the golf course story is fake. Someone would report one of the golfers and they would be fired soon after as their logs would show they were using a golf course wifi.

[Anonymous]

How does one report an employee suspected of time fraud?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:People who think this way and are so invested in monitoring the behavior of others typically aren’t very bright and are usually projecting something about themselves.

Or managers would just like another tool to use. I have employees who do little to no work but say they’re working on X.

And if the keystroke software told you they were working, but X was still going slowly, what then? You would hopefully step in to figure it out. So why not skip straight to doing that?

The employee may be stuck on something, or gone down a tangent, or not have the right training or tools - which are issues managers help with. It doesn't begin or end with making sure they're not slacking, because the effort is not the point.

I work and work and work with an employee who keeps telling me that X report takes this long to do. Except everyone around them finishes similar reports in 1/4 the time. I have worked with him so much that I don't know if he's not working or just very slow. One is disciplinary and the other might mean he needs to be demoted a grade and given easier work.

If you're really working with them daily on this, adding keystroke software is not going to help. Are you already setting daily milestones and checkins? If not, do that.
If you are setting daily goals and he isn't meeting them, put him on a PIP and tell him he'll be demoted if he can't meet the metrics in the PIP. Either he'll leave (most likely), shape up, or fail and get demoted.

[Anonymous]

Is the work getting done? That is the only thing that ought to matter