New OPM memo on RTO

[Anonymous]

Ding ding ding. Here was the reasonable answer- make it easier for middle managers to monitor and fire under performers

We definitely don't have many of those at DOJ, at least in terms of attorneys.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

The typical Fed employee response to this is that others are just jealous. Well, yes…or a sense that taxpayers are paying for freeloaders, which seems unfair. Ultimately, people don’t like being treated differently for similar work, and increasingly private-sector workers feel that they are treated differently than public workers. And no, the solution isn’t for all private-sector workers to get a government job. The answer is for public-sector workers to RTO.

How was it not equal/fair for comparable jobs? I am a DOJ attorney, and was 3 days per week in the office, more if you had an argument or in person depo scheduled another day. My friends at DC firms are also 3 days per week in the office, more if you have a particular in-office obligation.

A fair and very reasonable position. Unfortunately, there are too many Feds who don’t come in to the office, ever, and they blatantly disregard the suggested RTO policy, which is something that you cannot do in the private sector without losing your job.

Well said. For every Fed worker who has similar work location requirements as the private sector, there are many who do not. And for those who do, many do not follow them. The overall impression is that Fed workers are shirking and/or that their managers are not holding employees accountable. Essentially, separate from any productivity argument, Fed worker optics are pretty bad.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:NAME ONE WHITE COLLAR JOB THAT CAN NEVER EVER TELEWORK. ILL WAIT.

Right? Telework benefits the employer. They love having access to employees 24/7.

+1.

Well now they can’t have access to me 24/7. No TW agreement= no TW. I’ll be basking in the sun at 4pm on Fridays. No more late calls or hopping on at the last min. Hooray! Maybe in some weird way this is a blessing in disguise. My white collar friends will be putting in 50+hrs and I’ll just have my 40hrs on the books in person-boom.

This won’t work. Management will just give you a bad performance review and will get rid of you.

But we’re not allowed to telework so 🤷

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

The typical Fed employee response to this is that others are just jealous. Well, yes…or a sense that taxpayers are paying for freeloaders, which seems unfair. Ultimately, people don’t like being treated differently for similar work, and increasingly private-sector workers feel that they are treated differently than public workers. And no, the solution isn’t for all private-sector workers to get a government job. The answer is for public-sector workers to RTO.

How was it not equal/fair for comparable jobs? I am a DOJ attorney, and was 3 days per week in the office, more if you had an argument or in person depo scheduled another day. My friends at DC firms are also 3 days per week in the office, more if you have a particular in-office obligation.

A fair and very reasonable position. Unfortunately, there are too many Feds who don’t come in to the office, ever, and they blatantly disregard the suggested RTO policy, which is something that you cannot do in the private sector without losing your job.

Well said. For every Fed worker who has similar work location requirements as the private sector, there are many who do not. And for those who do, many do not follow them. The overall impression is that Fed workers are shirking and/or that their managers are not holding employees accountable. Essentially, separate from any productivity argument, Fed worker optics are pretty bad.

The “overall impression” is pure Trump propaganda and lies, just like the OPM memo. I’m not even sure why you bother. We all know the score.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Ding ding ding. Here was the reasonable answer- make it easier for middle managers to monitor and fire under performers

We definitely don't have many of those at DOJ, at least in terms of attorneys.

Also a DOJ lawyer here. I don’t know anyone in my component who works less than 50 hours a week. Many work considerably more. We are allowed to telework twice a week, but in practice no one actually does because we have to many in person obligations.

I worked, in person, through an illness that I later learned was causing acute Multiple Organ Dysfunction Syndrome. My supervisor admonished me for going to the emergency room and had zero sympathy when I was hospitalized for five days. This idea that federal employees are slackers is a fiction.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

The typical Fed employee response to this is that others are just jealous. Well, yes…or a sense that taxpayers are paying for freeloaders, which seems unfair. Ultimately, people don’t like being treated differently for similar work, and increasingly private-sector workers feel that they are treated differently than public workers. And no, the solution isn’t for all private-sector workers to get a government job. The answer is for public-sector workers to RTO.

How was it not equal/fair for comparable jobs? I am a DOJ attorney, and was 3 days per week in the office, more if you had an argument or in person depo scheduled another day. My friends at DC firms are also 3 days per week in the office, more if you have a particular in-office obligation.

A fair and very reasonable position. Unfortunately, there are too many Feds who don’t come in to the office, ever, and they blatantly disregard the suggested RTO policy, which is something that you cannot do in the private sector without losing your job.

Well said. For every Fed worker who has similar work location requirements as the private sector, there are many who do not. And for those who do, many do not follow them. The overall impression is that Fed workers are shirking and/or that their managers are not holding employees accountable. Essentially, separate from any productivity argument, Fed worker optics are pretty bad.

Oh, looks like we found the author of the evidence-free Republican report! Please, tell us, from which part of your rectum did you pull this information?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Though Feds may hate RTO, they did it for themselves. As others have said, Fed employees are outliers in every community regarding actions that make neighbors question their dedication to their jobs, ones that oftentimes pay very well and have outsized benefits.

The typical Fed employee response to this is that others are just jealous. Well, yes…or a sense that taxpayers are paying for freeloaders, which seems unfair. Ultimately, people don’t like being treated differently for similar work, and increasingly private-sector workers feel that they are treated differently than public workers. And no, the solution isn’t for all private-sector workers to get a government job. The answer is for public-sector workers to RTO.

Most of the white collar private sector workers I know are able to work from home at least some of the time.

+1. fed here who is already in the office 3x a week. i go to the office more than my private sector attorney husband who goes in 2x a week and makes 3x my salary.

[Anonymous]

What are people’s thoughts on core hours? I am thinking I would want to get in as early as possible (630 or so) and leave by 230 to avoid some of the traffic and have more time with my family.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What are people’s thoughts on core hours? I am thinking I would want to get in as early as possible (630 or so) and leave by 230 to avoid some of the traffic and have more time with my family.

I'd have to take the train, and this will be a huge issue for me, since if I need to stay available for folks on the west coast I'll be getting home after 8 PM or missing the last train. I can't maintain my current hours in office.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Ding ding ding. Here was the reasonable answer- make it easier for middle managers to monitor and fire under performers

We definitely don't have many of those at DOJ, at least in terms of attorneys.

Because you can direct hire lawyers! The rest of us only get the people who make the certs and veterans.

[Anonymous]

As a newer employee, rto will provide way more mentoring opportunities which is exciting. I hate how people
Hid from mentoring others while wfh. Now we can be more easily trained and ask questions in person.

[Anonymous]

You guys are insane suggesting you’ll stay late. If it’s going back to 1985, you have to operate like it’s 1985. No after hour calls.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:"If an employee’s official duty station is more than 50 miles from any existing agency office, the agency should take steps to move the employee’s duty station to the most appropriate agency office based on the employee’s duties and job function."

What does this part mean? Can someone please translate?

If an employee is working from home and home is more than 50 miles away, they will be reassigned to another office location.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What are people’s thoughts on core hours? I am thinking I would want to get in as early as possible (630 or so) and leave by 230 to avoid some of the traffic and have more time with my family.

These are defined by your agency. At my agency we have to work 8.5 hours even if we don’t take a lunch. The union forced that lunch ugh.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You guys are insane suggesting you’ll stay late. If it’s going back to 1985, you have to operate like it’s 1985. No after hour calls.

Many of us work not only across time zones but have to make international meetings. So the whole 9-5 mindset simply doesn't work. People don't exist just during 9-5 EST.