How is your federal agency implementing telework?

[Anonymous]

Zero telework, which at least meant I got to enjoy my first snow day in at least a decade.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Ad-hoc situational TW

Can use telework in a non-recurring manner:

Weather or public transportation disruptions

Before or after a dr's appt for yourself or a family member

To call in for an important mtg while on vacation

While taking care of a sick kid or when you are feeling under-the-weather but can still do a few hours of work

When you need to stay home to deal with a home repair

In short, it should be non-recurring in nature. You can't TW every Tuesday because you need to take your kid to his weekly therapy appt. It needs to be one-off usage.

Managers can also now approve 90 calendar day medical telework (self) or that related to family member caregiving. Employee can only utilize one of these 90-day reprieves in a 12 month period.

Anything longer requires a Reasonable Accommodation, which have been revoked or are very difficult to get.

This seems to be discriminatory as it’s penalizing any type of medical issues that require routine, regular care.

My office had someone quit because taking his kids with autism to reoccurring appointments violated the policy and he didn't have enough sick leave to cover it.

[Anonymous]

Limited telework for doctors appointments but they’re starting to really monitor.

[Anonymous]

So many people at my work have started the reasonable accommodation process, and the office that handles those requests isn't answering emails.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:So many people at my work have started the reasonable accommodation process, and the office that handles those requests isn't answering emails.

HHS has like 8000 backlogged RA requests.

[Anonymous]

Only situational TW is permitted and for specific reasons only, e.g., mid-day medical appointment, contagious illness or the vague "religious observation". I'm not sure it's worth it to me to have a situational TW agreement in place anymore (my children are grown so I don't take the unexpected sick days to care for sick children). I would like to see increased flexibilities for telework for all employees this summer.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We are back to precovid, 50% telework.

But can’t do three days in a row.

So, you have covid or are recovering from a GI bug you don’t want to share? Well, take a full day of sick leave. Especially annoying if you wake up sick the day after two days of telework.

A lot better than many agencies, but pre 2020 it was more come in about half the time, show up for important in person meetings and get your work done. Now it’s document the hell out of when you TW and take sick leave liberally to avoid extra TW

What agency is this?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am a contractor at a federal agency, and I am allowed to telework four days a week, and one day in the office. Fed people have to be in the office five days a week, and they absolutely hate it.

Yes, our contractors can do full time telework while they do essentially the same job as the federal employees.

At SEC all contractors telework full time. Feds are in full time. This is so backwards! Can’t wait for PA to go.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So many people at my work have started the reasonable accommodation process, and the office that handles those requests isn't answering emails.

HHS has like 8000 backlogged RA requests.

Are those people teleworking now before a decision on their RA request is made?

[Anonymous]

We are allowed situational telework but it must be approved beforehand and must be documented. They claim to be monitoring it and we are told not to abuse it. It appears to be unevenly used throughout the agency, with some offices using it pretty regularly and other offices more strict. It's all dumb. I'm quitting within the year.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So many people at my work have started the reasonable accommodation process, and the office that handles those requests isn't answering emails.

HHS has like 8000 backlogged RA requests.

Are those people teleworking now before a decision on their RA request is made?

NP but at our agency rumor has it that you can get a temporary approval for telework for your accommodation need if your paperwork is sitting in the queue. Haven't tried it yet. I think I'm quitting when my five years are in, which would be July.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We are allowed situational telework but it must be approved beforehand and must be documented. They claim to be monitoring it and we are told not to abuse it. It appears to be unevenly used throughout the agency, with some offices using it pretty regularly and other offices more strict. It's all dumb. I'm quitting within the year.

I hate this framing that teleworking often is abusing telework. Teleworking is working. If you are unable to do your work at home you should not telework at all, ever. I have an RA and am remote and work more than I ever did in the office. I have no distractions and no excuses.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So many people at my work have started the reasonable accommodation process, and the office that handles those requests isn't answering emails.

HHS has like 8000 backlogged RA requests.

Are those people teleworking now before a decision on their RA request is made?

Most are not. Originally supervisors could approve an interim request while waiting for the official RA, but they changed it so supervisors cannot approve telework. Some people who are able to get through to a representative can get an interim request approved.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Daily reminder that the legislative agencies like CBO still have 2-3 days of telework

+1. And GAO where some have full-time telework.

[Anonymous]

We don't have enough space to bring everyone back so non-supervisory employees can telework 2 days a pay period. There is supposed to be telework for before or after (not both - still have to badge in) medical appointments but you have to have a compelling work need and that seems to be pretty inconsistently applied.