Federal Govt Telework

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We have quite a few lucky b@stards on DETO agreements. Another several on medical accommodations. The rest of us get situational telework leftovers. It really makes for some great team dynamics.

If you qualify for telework under a medical accommodation right now, you're probably not all that "lucky."

-Signed, a fed with a progressive neurodegenerative condition and a telework accommodation.

I try to keep a positive attitude, but I honestly don't know how to respond when the fact that I'm still teleworking comes up and a co-worker comments on how fortunate I am to qualify for telework.

[Anonymous]

The whole RTO policy is a test to see which employees have enough initiative and agency and courage to circumvent it — versus those who are whiney, weak, timid, rule-following, risk-averse losers. It’s that simple.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We have quite a few lucky b@stards on DETO agreements. Another several on medical accommodations. The rest of us get situational telework leftovers. It really makes for some great team dynamics.

If you qualify for telework under a medical accommodation right now, you're probably not all that "lucky."

-Signed, a fed with a progressive neurodegenerative condition and a telework accommodation.

I try to keep a positive attitude, but I honestly don't know how to respond when the fact that I'm still teleworking comes up and a co-worker comments on how fortunate I am to qualify for telework.

I'm sorry, I did not mean to offend. I don't think anyone with a medical condition is "lucky". My comment was directed at the ones on DETO who still have flexible telework hours within their local time zone, and often skirt last minute management requests being off hours from DC.

[Anonymous]

I don't say that people are lucky to have RA but I do say that some agencies are more reasonable than others at granting it. DH's agency refuses to give RA to people with very degenerative diseases and it is simply shocking to both of us that the agency is being so terrible about it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don't say that people are lucky to have RA but I do say that some agencies are more reasonable than others at granting it. DH's agency refuses to give RA to people with very degenerative diseases and it is simply shocking to both of us that the agency is being so terrible about it.

Agree there is definitely an amount of luck in being at an agency that will actually grant an RA for TW at all.

[Anonymous]

Hopefully they will start treating us like grownups again soon.

[Anonymous]

I negotiated 2 days (had 3), but am a contractor. I left once and they couldn't fill the position for months, so they know they better keep me happy!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The whole RTO policy is a test to see which employees have enough initiative and agency and courage to circumvent it — versus those who are whiney, weak, timid, rule-following, risk-averse losers. It’s that simple.

I had so much initiative and agency that I left the government and found a better job. So did many of my coworkers. If that was a test, it wasn't one the government passed.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The whole RTO policy is a test to see which employees have enough initiative and agency and courage to circumvent it — versus those who are whiney, weak, timid, rule-following, risk-averse losers. It’s that simple.

But what's the point? What are you going to do with the test result? Most feds are capped at a salary less than $200k.

[Anonymous]

I have one day per week, but I work at a small independent agency. Not going to name which.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have one day per week, but I work at a small independent agency. Not going to name which.

That makes me hopeful for my agency. Morale is down and stress is high and workload is astronomical. One day a week of telework would make a huge difference, as would a rational policy allowing for ad hoc telework for normal things (like being a little sick but not too sick to work, or a kid dr appointment or a sick kid).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have one day per week, but I work at a small independent agency. Not going to name which.

That makes me hopeful for my agency. Morale is down and stress is high and workload is astronomical. One day a week of telework would make a huge difference, as would a rational policy allowing for ad hoc telework for normal things (like being a little sick but not too sick to work, or a kid dr appointment or a sick kid).

+1. One day a week would do so much for morale at my agency. Or even some adhoc telework. Our current “no telework” at all for any reason is demoralizing and treats us like children.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have one day per week, but I work at a small independent agency. Not going to name which.

That makes me hopeful for my agency. Morale is down and stress is high and workload is astronomical. One day a week of telework would make a huge difference, as would a rational policy allowing for ad hoc telework for normal things (like being a little sick but not too sick to work, or a kid dr appointment or a sick kid).

Here's the problem with this, IMO.

All Feds get the same amount of sick leave. The policy is to use it if you (or your dependents) are sick or have medical appointments.

At my agency TW was thoroughly abused. One employee claimed she needed full time telework to "care" for her adult son (a veteran) due to PTSD and his myriad medical appointments. Of course it was granted because NO ONE wants to question any kind of support for a veteran.

Then we looked on-line and discovered her son was working full time, lived in his own home with a girlfriend, and did lots of traveling and socializing with friends. This didn't exactly go over well with the other vets in the office, including one with a prosthetic leg who showed up every day. The TW person kept this going for more than a year and shirked a LOT of their duties due to it.

Same for people with kids and every time one of them was ill or needed medical attention. TW wound up being approved for several days-long episodes every month. Others had to pick up in-person tasks because the TW person couldn't do those duties from home.

But if those same people who were picking up the slack were sick, had medical appointments, or needed to take an elderly parent to an appointment they had to take sick leave.

You shouldn't have one policy for those with kids and those who don't.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have one day per week, but I work at a small independent agency. Not going to name which.

That makes me hopeful for my agency. Morale is down and stress is high and workload is astronomical. One day a week of telework would make a huge difference, as would a rational policy allowing for ad hoc telework for normal things (like being a little sick but not too sick to work, or a kid dr appointment or a sick kid).

Here's the problem with this, IMO.

All Feds get the same amount of sick leave. The policy is to use it if you (or your dependents) are sick or have medical appointments.

At my agency TW was thoroughly abused. One employee claimed she needed full time telework to "care" for her adult son (a veteran) due to PTSD and his myriad medical appointments. Of course it was granted because NO ONE wants to question any kind of support for a veteran.

Then we looked on-line and discovered her son was working full time, lived in his own home with a girlfriend, and did lots of traveling and socializing with friends. This didn't exactly go over well with the other vets in the office, including one with a prosthetic leg who showed up every day. The TW person kept this going for more than a year and shirked a LOT of their duties due to it.

Same for people with kids and every time one of them was ill or needed medical attention. TW wound up being approved for several days-long episodes every month. Others had to pick up in-person tasks because the TW person couldn't do those duties from home.

But if those same people who were picking up the slack were sick, had medical appointments, or needed to take an elderly parent to an appointment they had to take sick leave.

You shouldn't have one policy for those with kids and those who don't.

Somehow the private sector lets people work from home with sick kids so I’m sure we can do it too. The answer to rare people abusing the system is not to ban it for all. Plus my agency is completely snowed under with work - they need me to work as much as I can, not take sick leave when I could be working.

Another issue is working off the clock. My agency is fast pace and industry and my boss expect responsiveness. I have a work issued cell. But under the current rules I would have to request and be granted telework to answer an urgent email at 8am before I get to work, or to monitor for urgent matters when I am on leave. That is totally nonsensical.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have one day per week, but I work at a small independent agency. Not going to name which.

That makes me hopeful for my agency. Morale is down and stress is high and workload is astronomical. One day a week of telework would make a huge difference, as would a rational policy allowing for ad hoc telework for normal things (like being a little sick but not too sick to work, or a kid dr appointment or a sick kid).

Here's the problem with this, IMO.

All Feds get the same amount of sick leave. The policy is to use it if you (or your dependents) are sick or have medical appointments.

At my agency TW was thoroughly abused. One employee claimed she needed full time telework to "care" for her adult son (a veteran) due to PTSD and his myriad medical appointments. Of course it was granted because NO ONE wants to question any kind of support for a veteran.

Then we looked on-line and discovered her son was working full time, lived in his own home with a girlfriend, and did lots of traveling and socializing with friends. This didn't exactly go over well with the other vets in the office, including one with a prosthetic leg who showed up every day. The TW person kept this going for more than a year and shirked a LOT of their duties due to it.

Same for people with kids and every time one of them was ill or needed medical attention. TW wound up being approved for several days-long episodes every month. Others had to pick up in-person tasks because the TW person couldn't do those duties from home.

But if those same people who were picking up the slack were sick, had medical appointments, or needed to take an elderly parent to an appointment they had to take sick leave.

You shouldn't have one policy for those with kids and those who don't.

This isn't the reason there is no federal government telework. The reason is because the administration wants people to quit working for the government. The easiest solution would be to offer VERA to all employees and see how many take it. I bet the government would shrink way beyond Vought's dreams immediately.