Telework abuse - would you report?

[Anonymous]

PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE don't CC your supervisor. That's the most passive aggressive bullshit you could possibly do. Just go have a conversation with this woman like a grown up if it's bothering you this much!

[Anonymous]

You can always report it to the IG.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here: I like the suggestion to copy our supervisor on these emails so he can come to his own conclusions.

For those of you who are talking about her taking leave, flex-schedules, this is an ongoing issue with a consistent pattern of behavior (email Jane on Friday at 2, wait to hear from her after 10 on Monday).

Also, this is a fairly small group in a Fed job where things are more transparent than mega-offices where folk are working off-site, traveling etc, taking conference calls etc.

So email and call her Friday at 2 And ask for a return call/email cob Friday. I'm all about flexibility but people taking advantage of it make it hard for everyone. I have a couplewoloyees who use our company's flexible working hours, come in at 6 and leave at 2 or 3. And if hey leave at 3 they combine those extra house and take off early on Friday which means they leave at 10. Most people don't come in until 8:30 and noon knows what they do from 6-8 we have no coverage from those early birds after 2 if something nees to be done. Frustrating and someone else always picks up the evening slack.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here: I like the suggestion to copy our supervisor on these emails so he can come to his own conclusions.

For those of you who are talking about her taking leave, flex-schedules, this is an ongoing issue with a consistent pattern of behavior (email Jane on Friday at 2, wait to hear from her after 10 on Monday).

Also, this is a fairly small group in a Fed job where things are more transparent than mega-offices where folk are working off-site, traveling etc, taking conference calls etc.

I'm one of the PPs, and I'm a Fed in an office of 12 people. I will often take an hour of leave one or two days/week, to help with my commute. I have never felt the need to tell non-supervisors that I'm doing that. Probably some of my co-workers think I'm skipping out early, but my timecard is in order and my boss has no issue with it.

I don't think the cc idea will have the impact you expect. If a direct report started ccing me on emails to her colleague, without other context, my first thought would not be to investigate the recipient's hours. I would be mildly annoyed at the extra email volume and assume the recipient omitted me from the reply.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here: It is a Fed job with strict 8 hour schedule with some flexibility (arrive at 7,leave early type of thing).

We don't hear from this person on their telework days before 10 am and after 2 pm on her telework days even though there are things we need her input on. No overtime allowed, so we don't expect to hear anything after 5 from anybody ever.

I worked at a federal agency and almost everyone abused the telework privilege. It was annoying. Managers eventually got involved, as it affected team projects. I would start a paper trail - send an email. Wait 30 minutes, send another email asking for input. Do the same thing every 30 minutes. Then you can document how long the person is not working. Eventually, if it continues, talk to a manager - when multiple problems occurred at my agency, managers asked to be cc'ed on the emails, so they, too, could document how long someone was doing something other than work.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE don't CC your supervisor. That's the most passive aggressive bullshit you could possibly do. Just go have a conversation with this woman like a grown up if it's bothering you this much!

It depends on the person. We had this huge asshole at my previous job who would have sniped at you and backstabbed if you had said something like "Hey Larlo, I noticed that it's difficult to get in touch with you during core hours on Fridays and Mondays. Can you please be more prompt?" Guaranteed drama for weeks. I'd rather be a passive aggressive bullshitter than deal with his obnoxiousness.

Then there are the generally normal, nice people I work with now who would totally understand if I said, "Sometimes it's difficult to get in touch with you when you telework, but I need your feedback by COB Friday."

So you'll have to decide what works best for Larla's personality.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here: I like the suggestion to copy our supervisor on these emails so he can come to his own conclusions.

For those of you who are talking about her taking leave, flex-schedules, this is an ongoing issue with a consistent pattern of behavior (email Jane on Friday at 2, wait to hear from her after 10 on Monday).

Also, this is a fairly small group in a Fed job where things are more transparent than mega-offices where folk are working off-site, traveling etc, taking conference calls etc.

So email and call her Friday at 2 And ask for a return call/email cob Friday. I'm all about flexibility but people taking advantage of it make it hard for everyone. I have a couplewoloyees who use our company's flexible working hours, come in at 6 and leave at 2 or 3. And if hey leave at 3 they combine those extra house and take off early on Friday which means they leave at 10. Most people don't come in until 8:30 and noon knows what they do from 6-8 we have no coverage from those early birds after 2 if something nees to be done. Frustrating and someone else always picks up the evening slack.

Don't do this unless you need a response by COB Friday. Why would you make up a fake deadline -- just to see if she's abusing the system?

Also, I agree that the CC won't have the effect that you think. Not only are you cluttering up someone's inbox without context, it's an asshole move. And my response to asshole moves like that is, "I don't understand why XX is copied here, but in response to your question _______." Now the you have to either hijack the email thread with your tattling or eat crow and continue with the original question.

Seriously, unless her schedule is messing up your productivity, stay out of it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE don't CC your supervisor. That's the most passive aggressive bullshit you could possibly do. Just go have a conversation with this woman like a grown up if it's bothering you this much!

It depends on the person. We had this huge asshole at my previous job who would have sniped at you and backstabbed if you had said something like "Hey Larlo, I noticed that it's difficult to get in touch with you during core hours on Fridays and Mondays. Can you please be more prompt?" Guaranteed drama for weeks. I'd rather be a passive aggressive bullshitter than deal with his obnoxiousness.

Then there are the generally normal, nice people I work with now who would totally understand if I said, "Sometimes it's difficult to get in touch with you when you telework, but I need your feedback by COB Friday."

So you'll have to decide what works best for Larla's personality.

These things NEVER read well in emails. This is an example of a situation that needs to be handled in person or over the phone. Preferably in person. Too much gets lost in an email here and it could be an innocent question but the intent gets lost in the delivery.

[Anonymous]

It depends on the boss, too. When I started my job, I thought it was weird that if I emailed person A with a question, they would CC our boss with the reply. I hated it, but I got used to it. Turns out the boss likes to see the back and forth communications as a way to keep tabs on what's going on. ::shrugs::

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE don't CC your supervisor. That's the most passive aggressive bullshit you could possibly do. Just go have a conversation with this woman like a grown up if it's bothering you this much!

It depends on the person. We had this huge asshole at my previous job who would have sniped at you and backstabbed if you had said something like "Hey Larlo, I noticed that it's difficult to get in touch with you during core hours on Fridays and Mondays. Can you please be more prompt?" Guaranteed drama for weeks. I'd rather be a passive aggressive bullshitter than deal with his obnoxiousness.

Then there are the generally normal, nice people I work with now who would totally understand if I said, "Sometimes it's difficult to get in touch with you when you telework, but I need your feedback by COB Friday."

So you'll have to decide what works best for Larla's personality.

These things NEVER read well in emails. This is an example of a situation that needs to be handled in person or over the phone. Preferably in person. Too much gets lost in an email here and it could be an innocent question but the intent gets lost in the delivery.

FFS is her job to read and respond to your email? I often get messages at 2pm Friday that I don't respond to until the Monday or even later. B/c my job requires other work product than jumping on emails. If you need to reach her, call her. And you better not be calling just because you have your panties in knot, it better be truly urgent -- or your number will be blocked and right fully so

And that SAHM gossiping with her husband, she is a peach with a pit.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Our company policy is that telework should be done during normal work hours, and one should always be accessible by phone/email during those hours. However, my manager is quite flexible and doesn't care how we use our time as long as the work is getting done. I pick up my kids early and take them to the park, and then log on after my husband gets home to finish my work. My manager is aware.

I think you should mind your own business if this doesn't affect you.

Your company is not ALL companies. You do understand that right?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Maybe she's taking leave for those times. Did that ever occur to you?

+1, you don't know whether she put in for leave. In theory you also would not know if she had a part-time or flex-time schedule (though in practice, colleagues usually do know). MYOB unless you are in a position to know her leave schedule, OR her absence is affecting your work, which would be an issue even if it is approved leave.

Ignore the supervisor upthread who says she needs the info: supervisor should be verifying availability and productivity directly, not relying on somebody's wife's report.

Aw. Let me guess. You manage 4 people. How cute.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Our company policy is that telework should be done during normal work hours, and one should always be accessible by phone/email during those hours. However, my manager is quite flexible and doesn't care how we use our time as long as the work is getting done. I pick up my kids early and take them to the park, and then log on after my husband gets home to finish my work. My manager is aware.

I think you should mind your own business if this doesn't affect you.

Affect?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE don't CC your supervisor. That's the most passive aggressive bullshit you could possibly do. Just go have a conversation with this woman like a grown up if it's bothering you this much!

It depends on the person. We had this huge asshole at my previous job who would have sniped at you and backstabbed if you had said something like "Hey Larlo, I noticed that it's difficult to get in touch with you during core hours on Fridays and Mondays. Can you please be more prompt?" Guaranteed drama for weeks. I'd rather be a passive aggressive bullshitter than deal with his obnoxiousness.

Then there are the generally normal, nice people I work with now who would totally understand if I said, "Sometimes it's difficult to get in touch with you when you telework, but I need your feedback by COB Friday."

So you'll have to decide what works best for Larla's personality.

These things NEVER read well in emails. This is an example of a situation that needs to be handled in person or over the phone. Preferably in person. Too much gets lost in an email here and it could be an innocent question but the intent gets lost in the delivery.

FFS is her job to read and respond to your email? I often get messages at 2pm Friday that I don't respond to until the Monday or even later. B/c my job requires other work product than jumping on emails. If you need to reach her, call her. And you better not be calling just because you have your panties in knot, it better be truly urgent -- or your number will be blocked and right fully so

And that SAHM gossiping with her husband, she is a peach with a pit.

Although this is all dependent on the job and flexibilities therein, I just want to note that there are some people like myself who only check emails during certain times of the day. I check my emails at 10am and then again at 2pm. I shut down my email during all other times because it's a distraction from my work.

I would not say anything. Truth is, karma is a peach with a bit. If you mention it, this could shut down telework opportunities for others, including yourself.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:She could be on her lunch break. Duh! My your own business!

+1
When I work from home, I often skip lunch and breaks so I can pick my child up at school between 3 and 4.