Snow day, telework, and kids at home - why no policy yet?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think it's unfair that we would have to use our leave (sick or annual) for this situation.

For what it's worth, I have enough of both but I don't think it's fair that we have to burn up our personal leave when the federal offices are closed.

Be very careful going down this path...

Offices are closed not because work can't be done, but because commuting isn't safe.
You get the benefit of not commuting. There is no reason why you can't work.

What would you do if federal offices were not closed? Do that thing.

Children at home is actually a reason to not work.

It always has been.

It still is. That’s what your leave is for.

This isn’t complicated.

No this is why admin leave is still appropriate for snow days.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Our office says lists power outage and child care as examples of extenuating circumstances to receive paid time off.

Yup. You have to be ~able~ to telework.

Which is why unscheduled leave is approved.

It’s why admin leave is approved.

This is absolutely not a blanket policy or OPM policy, nor should it be.

If you're kids school gets closed due to a power outage, or if your nanny calls in sick, you take leave. The same applies here.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think it's unfair that we would have to use our leave (sick or annual) for this situation.

For what it's worth, I have enough of both but I don't think it's fair that we have to burn up our personal leave when the federal offices are closed.

Really- I am a long term fed, and I disagree, We get to work remotely and stay off of the roads and can do our job. That is a huge benefit. If you can't make it work today, due to family obligations, you can use your leave without penalty (or get approved LWOP). Many people need to be onsite to do their jobs everyday and don't get a choice. OP if you don't have AL (and this is not an approved reason to use SL), You can request advanced AL or LWOP. Posts like this make people outside government dislike government employees.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:our policies at my federal office is clear, you are expected to telework today for 8 hours. If you are unable to do that due to child care responsibilities you are required to take annual leave. This doesn't seem complicated.

What if you have no annual leave?

Then you go into a negative leave balance until you get back into the black.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think it's unfair that we would have to use our leave (sick or annual) for this situation.

For what it's worth, I have enough of both but I don't think it's fair that we have to burn up our personal leave when the federal offices are closed.

Be very careful going down this path...

Offices are closed not because work can't be done, but because commuting isn't safe.
You get the benefit of not commuting. There is no reason why you can't work.

What would you do if federal offices were not closed? Do that thing.

Children at home is actually a reason to not work.

It always has been.

It still is. That’s what your leave is for.

This isn’t complicated.

No this is why admin leave is still appropriate for snow days.

It isn't. Why do you think it is? Does it apply to any situation in which you have to provide care to your child? If only "snow days" why?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Our office says lists power outage and child care as examples of extenuating circumstances to receive paid time off.

Yup. You have to be ~able~ to telework.

Which is why unscheduled leave is approved.

It’s why admin leave is approved.

This is absolutely not a blanket policy or OPM policy, nor should it be.

If you're kids school gets closed due to a power outage, or if your nanny calls in sick, you take leave. The same applies here.

It’s the policy at our govt agency and unless you can point to an OPM rule that says it’s inappropriate for snow days your just talking out your ars.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It seems that there is no real policy in the federal government about how to handle this. Same thing at my spouse’s private sector company.

With the withspread adoption of hybrid telework, there is now an expectation that you work during snow days. However, with schools + daycares closed that means kids are home.

Why hasn’t the federal government clarified how to handle this? It seems that the “fairest” thing would be to allow people to dip into either annual or sick leave to care for their kids in the instance when a school district has closed their facilities.

Before COVID, a snow day was a snow day. Now? It’s a work from home day with the kids.

You do realize that you not have to work and you just will not get paid. It’s no different than if you were in office in the office was closed due to snow. You don’t get paid snow day. You would not get paid. (Unless you used accrued pay.)

[Anonymous]

Typically on a "snow day", I flex my day by starting really early (since I don't have commute I can sit down and get going). My DH and I look at our calendars to see who is point at different points of the day. I usually am able to get at least 6 hours in and if I need to take 2 hours of leave it is what I need to do.

Another tip is reaching out to your community listserve - typically there is a High Schooler who lives in the neighborhood who had school cancelled who would be happy to make a few $ and watch your kids while you work.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Our office says lists power outage and child care as examples of extenuating circumstances to receive paid time off.

Yup. You have to be ~able~ to telework.

Which is why unscheduled leave is approved.

It’s why admin leave is approved.

This is absolutely not a blanket policy or OPM policy, nor should it be.

If you're kids school gets closed due to a power outage, or if your nanny calls in sick, you take leave. The same applies here.

It’s the policy at our govt agency and unless you can point to an OPM rule that says it’s inappropriate for snow days your just talking out your ars.

I never said there is an OPM rule prohibiting it. I said there is no OPM rule that allows/requires it.

It seems like a nice perk your agency offers. Great for you! That doesn't make it something that is necessary for "fairness."

[Anonymous]

What you really want is a paid day off because otherwise you would just not work today, right?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It seems that there is no real policy in the federal government about how to handle this. Same thing at my spouse’s private sector company.

With the withspread adoption of hybrid telework, there is now an expectation that you work during snow days. However, with schools + daycares closed that means kids are home.

Why hasn’t the federal government clarified how to handle this? It seems that the “fairest” thing would be to allow people to dip into either annual or sick leave to care for their kids in the instance when a school district has closed their facilities.

Before COVID, a snow day was a snow day. Now? It’s a work from home day with the kids.

Yes the policy is taken leave if you need to. Don’t take it if you don’t need to.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think it's unfair that we would have to use our leave (sick or annual) for this situation.

For what it's worth, I have enough of both but I don't think it's fair that we have to burn up our personal leave when the federal offices are closed.

Be very careful going down this path...

Offices are closed not because work can't be done, but because commuting isn't safe.
You get the benefit of not commuting. There is no reason why you can't work.

What would you do if federal offices were not closed? Do that thing.

Children at home is actually a reason to not work.

It always has been.

It still is. That’s what your leave is for.

This isn’t complicated.

No this is why admin leave is still appropriate for snow days.

It isn't. Why do you think it is? Does it apply to any situation in which you have to provide care to your child? If only "snow days" why?

Childcare is a reason to give admin leave in our guidance.

I am able to give emergency leave and admin leave for many reasons.
I’ve given admin leave when in car accident on way to work, to give blood, approved volunteer activities, death of a president, power outages and weather.

It applies now to both of a child, adoption of a child, foster care of a child.

Ask OPM why only weather?
OPM has a hand

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:our policies at my federal office is clear, you are expected to telework today for 8 hours. If you are unable to do that due to child care responsibilities you are required to take annual leave. This doesn't seem complicated.

What if you have no annual leave?

You have to advance it.

[Anonymous]

Birth*

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:our policies at my federal office is clear, you are expected to telework today for 8 hours. If you are unable to do that due to child care responsibilities you are required to take annual leave. This doesn't seem complicated.

What if you have no annual leave?

Take leave without pay.