OPM Guidance on COVID-19

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So I have carefully saved my leave and my coworker constantly uses it for all kinds of things. She now gets free leave for claiming Corona and I spend my leave. Advancing leave is fine but just giving it out seems a bit out of control.

What free leave? I’m also not sure what you are implying- is your coworker using sick leave improperly, i.e. for reasons other than illness or doctors appointments?

Worker 1 takes full days of for a 20 minute dental appointment, mental health days, etc. Worker 2 schedules appointments on her off days and only uses sick leave for illnesses. Worker one is nowpaid to stay home because she is now actually sick but has no leave. Worker 2 is using the sick she carefully saved. Now I realize there are people who just started or are recovering from a major illness that have legitimate reasons for not having leave...but many people do not save it for an actual sickness.

+1. People use leave extremely liberally and then bitch and moan they are all out. I’m careful about saving my leave for times when I really need it and I therefore have hundreds of hours saved after only five years of service. I shouldn’t be punished for being prudent.

It’s an all hands on deck collective matter, not an individualistic, i’ve got mine situation.

Says the person who has individually taken all sorts of leave for lots of nonsense, while others haven’t and therefore have a backup, who now claim everyone should be in it together.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So I have carefully saved my leave and my coworker constantly uses it for all kinds of things. She now gets free leave for claiming Corona and I spend my leave. Advancing leave is fine but just giving it out seems a bit out of control.

What free leave? I’m also not sure what you are implying- is your coworker using sick leave improperly, i.e. for reasons other than illness or doctors appointments?

Worker 1 takes full days of for a 20 minute dental appointment, mental health days, etc. Worker 2 schedules appointments on her off days and only uses sick leave for illnesses. Worker one is nowpaid to stay home because she is now actually sick but has no leave. Worker 2 is using the sick she carefully saved. Now I realize there are people who just started or are recovering from a major illness that have legitimate reasons for not having leave...but many people do not save it for an actual sickness.

+1. People use leave extremely liberally and then bitch and moan they are all out. I’m careful about saving my leave for times when I really need it and I therefore have hundreds of hours saved after only five years of service. I shouldn’t be punished for being prudent.

Congratulations on never getting sick or having a baby I guess?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Question for fed workers -- is there a sick leave bank you guys can use if you are out of paid sick leave (like the woman who just came back from maternity leave, or the new hires)? Maybe they should also remove restrictions on the use of the sick leave borrowing bank.

There is, but you have to burn through all of your sick and annual leave first. A lot of people, if healthy enough to work, will continue to come in sick rather than be forced to burn up all their leave. And who is going to donate leave if they’re in fear of a virus getting them sick?

This is going to create an interesting dynamic between younger workers (who tend to have less leave than more senior employees) who may have mild symptoms and not want to burn their little leave balance vs. older employees who have more leave, but lower immunity. We should be in this all together like other countries that are guaranteeing pay in case of quarantine or illness. But instead it’s every man for himself in the fed gov.

Coming in because you refuse to burn your leave is selfish when you have a leave bank you can draw on.

That ain't how it works. In my agency, they post a plea for those needing donated leave. Something along the lines of, "Sally Smith has exhausted her leave due to childbirth" or something. So, 1. you select an individual to whom to give your leave; and 2. Decide how many hours to give them. (I've done this before, that was my Agency experience.)

This creates issues. Mainly because hours that expire are not automatically donated to this leave bank and individuals choose to opt in and how to allocate their donated hours. If you are a new or relatively unknown employee, tough sh!t, they ain't gonna be no leave donated to your sorry ass.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So I have carefully saved my leave and my coworker constantly uses it for all kinds of things. She now gets free leave for claiming Corona and I spend my leave. Advancing leave is fine but just giving it out seems a bit out of control.

What free leave? I’m also not sure what you are implying- is your coworker using sick leave improperly, i.e. for reasons other than illness or doctors appointments?

Worker 1 takes full days of for a 20 minute dental appointment, mental health days, etc. Worker 2 schedules appointments on her off days and only uses sick leave for illnesses. Worker one is nowpaid to stay home because she is now actually sick but has no leave. Worker 2 is using the sick she carefully saved. Now I realize there are people who just started or are recovering from a major illness that have legitimate reasons for not having leave...but many people do not save it for an actual sickness.

+1. People use leave extremely liberally and then bitch and moan they are all out. I’m careful about saving my leave for times when I really need it and I therefore have hundreds of hours saved after only five years of service. I shouldn’t be punished for being prudent.

The only way to do that is if you don’t begin your career at a time of starting a family. I had 2 kids in 2 1/2 years (early 30s) so normal time period. There’s just no way I can accrue that amount of leave even having taken some unpaid leave for maternity leave.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So I have carefully saved my leave and my coworker constantly uses it for all kinds of things. She now gets free leave for claiming Corona and I spend my leave. Advancing leave is fine but just giving it out seems a bit out of control.

What free leave? I’m also not sure what you are implying- is your coworker using sick leave improperly, i.e. for reasons other than illness or doctors appointments?

Worker 1 takes full days of for a 20 minute dental appointment, mental health days, etc. Worker 2 schedules appointments on her off days and only uses sick leave for illnesses. Worker one is nowpaid to stay home because she is now actually sick but has no leave. Worker 2 is using the sick she carefully saved. Now I realize there are people who just started or are recovering from a major illness that have legitimate reasons for not having leave...but many people do not save it for an actual sickness.

+1. People use leave extremely liberally and then bitch and moan they are all out. I’m careful about saving my leave for times when I really need it and I therefore have hundreds of hours saved after only five years of service. I shouldn’t be punished for being prudent.

The only way to do that is if you don’t begin your career at a time of starting a family. I had 2 kids in 2 1/2 years (early 30s) so normal time period. There’s just no way I can accrue that amount of leave even having taken some unpaid leave for maternity leave.

Right. So you chose to use your leave. Others didn't.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So I have carefully saved my leave and my coworker constantly uses it for all kinds of things. She now gets free leave for claiming Corona and I spend my leave. Advancing leave is fine but just giving it out seems a bit out of control.

What free leave? I’m also not sure what you are implying- is your coworker using sick leave improperly, i.e. for reasons other than illness or doctors appointments?

Worker 1 takes full days of for a 20 minute dental appointment, mental health days, etc. Worker 2 schedules appointments on her off days and only uses sick leave for illnesses. Worker one is nowpaid to stay home because she is now actually sick but has no leave. Worker 2 is using the sick she carefully saved. Now I realize there are people who just started or are recovering from a major illness that have legitimate reasons for not having leave...but many people do not save it for an actual sickness.

+1. People use leave extremely liberally and then bitch and moan they are all out. I’m careful about saving my leave for times when I really need it and I therefore have hundreds of hours saved after only five years of service. I shouldn’t be punished for being prudent.

It’s an all hands on deck collective matter, not an individualistic, i’ve got mine situation.

Says the person who has individually taken all sorts of leave for lots of nonsense, while others haven’t and therefore have a backup, who now claim everyone should be in it together.

Huh? you don’t know the first thing about my leave, and my use of it. Grow up.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So I have carefully saved my leave and my coworker constantly uses it for all kinds of things. She now gets free leave for claiming Corona and I spend my leave. Advancing leave is fine but just giving it out seems a bit out of control.

What free leave? I’m also not sure what you are implying- is your coworker using sick leave improperly, i.e. for reasons other than illness or doctors appointments?

Worker 1 takes full days of for a 20 minute dental appointment, mental health days, etc. Worker 2 schedules appointments on her off days and only uses sick leave for illnesses. Worker one is nowpaid to stay home because she is now actually sick but has no leave. Worker 2 is using the sick she carefully saved. Now I realize there are people who just started or are recovering from a major illness that have legitimate reasons for not having leave...but many people do not save it for an actual sickness.

+1. People use leave extremely liberally and then bitch and moan they are all out. I’m careful about saving my leave for times when I really need it and I therefore have hundreds of hours saved after only five years of service. I shouldn’t be punished for being prudent.

Congratulations on never getting sick or having a baby I guess?

You mean not taking a whole day for a short appointment, making up hours lost for appointments when possible, and not taking random “mental health” days because I just don’t feel like going in?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So I have carefully saved my leave and my coworker constantly uses it for all kinds of things. She now gets free leave for claiming Corona and I spend my leave. Advancing leave is fine but just giving it out seems a bit out of control.

What free leave? I’m also not sure what you are implying- is your coworker using sick leave improperly, i.e. for reasons other than illness or doctors appointments?

Worker 1 takes full days of for a 20 minute dental appointment, mental health days, etc. Worker 2 schedules appointments on her off days and only uses sick leave for illnesses. Worker one is nowpaid to stay home because she is now actually sick but has no leave. Worker 2 is using the sick she carefully saved. Now I realize there are people who just started or are recovering from a major illness that have legitimate reasons for not having leave...but many people do not save it for an actual sickness.

+1. People use leave extremely liberally and then bitch and moan they are all out. I’m careful about saving my leave for times when I really need it and I therefore have hundreds of hours saved after only five years of service. I shouldn’t be punished for being prudent.

The only way to do that is if you don’t begin your career at a time of starting a family. I had 2 kids in 2 1/2 years (early 30s) so normal time period. There’s just no way I can accrue that amount of leave even having taken some unpaid leave for maternity leave.

I have a four year old and have been a Fed for five years, so you do the math.

[Anonymous]

It’s not a zero sum game, people! We are all getting shafted. No need to blame people for taking leave while replenishing our work force through childbirth. Workers unite!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So I have carefully saved my leave and my coworker constantly uses it for all kinds of things. She now gets free leave for claiming Corona and I spend my leave. Advancing leave is fine but just giving it out seems a bit out of control.

What free leave? I’m also not sure what you are implying- is your coworker using sick leave improperly, i.e. for reasons other than illness or doctors appointments?

Worker 1 takes full days of for a 20 minute dental appointment, mental health days, etc. Worker 2 schedules appointments on her off days and only uses sick leave for illnesses. Worker one is nowpaid to stay home because she is now actually sick but has no leave. Worker 2 is using the sick she carefully saved. Now I realize there are people who just started or are recovering from a major illness that have legitimate reasons for not having leave...but many people do not save it for an actual sickness.

+1. People use leave extremely liberally and then bitch and moan they are all out. I’m careful about saving my leave for times when I really need it and I therefore have hundreds of hours saved after only five years of service. I shouldn’t be punished for being prudent.

Congratulations on never getting sick or having a baby I guess?

You mean not taking a whole day for a short appointment, making up hours lost for appointments when possible, and not taking random “mental health” days because I just don’t feel like going in?

Sorry you have such a shitty coworker! That must be really grating! I was in your shoes once- young, never got sick, tons of sick leave. Then I had two maternity leaves and kids in daycare, so yeah. Back up to two weeks sick leave saved up right now- woohoo! Would be a bummer if I had to blow it all on a quarantine if it turns out I was exposed to someone at my church caught covid19.

A little empathy could go a long way friend. Might make you less angry at the world at least.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So I have carefully saved my leave and my coworker constantly uses it for all kinds of things. She now gets free leave for claiming Corona and I spend my leave. Advancing leave is fine but just giving it out seems a bit out of control.

What free leave? I’m also not sure what you are implying- is your coworker using sick leave improperly, i.e. for reasons other than illness or doctors appointments?

Worker 1 takes full days of for a 20 minute dental appointment, mental health days, etc. Worker 2 schedules appointments on her off days and only uses sick leave for illnesses. Worker one is nowpaid to stay home because she is now actually sick but has no leave. Worker 2 is using the sick she carefully saved. Now I realize there are people who just started or are recovering from a major illness that have legitimate reasons for not having leave...but many people do not save it for an actual sickness.

+1. People use leave extremely liberally and then bitch and moan they are all out. I’m careful about saving my leave for times when I really need it and I therefore have hundreds of hours saved after only five years of service. I shouldn’t be punished for being prudent.

The only way to do that is if you don’t begin your career at a time of starting a family. I had 2 kids in 2 1/2 years (early 30s) so normal time period. There’s just no way I can accrue that amount of leave even having taken some unpaid leave for maternity leave.

Right. So you chose to use your leave. Others didn't.

You mean: “Sorry you chose to have a family. You should have to burn what leave you do have or take unpaid leave when schools close due to an outbreak that ISN’T EVEN AFFECTING YOUNG PEOPLE.” Yeah no. I have no interest in losing pay because of a virus that is killing old people

I do have older relatives that I am concerned about. But I don’t think it’s fair to shut everything down at the expense of young people in order to save boomers as a whole.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So I have carefully saved my leave and my coworker constantly uses it for all kinds of things. She now gets free leave for claiming Corona and I spend my leave. Advancing leave is fine but just giving it out seems a bit out of control.

What free leave? I’m also not sure what you are implying- is your coworker using sick leave improperly, i.e. for reasons other than illness or doctors appointments?

Worker 1 takes full days of for a 20 minute dental appointment, mental health days, etc. Worker 2 schedules appointments on her off days and only uses sick leave for illnesses. Worker one is nowpaid to stay home because she is now actually sick but has no leave. Worker 2 is using the sick she carefully saved. Now I realize there are people who just started or are recovering from a major illness that have legitimate reasons for not having leave...but many people do not save it for an actual sickness.

+1. People use leave extremely liberally and then bitch and moan they are all out. I’m careful about saving my leave for times when I really need it and I therefore have hundreds of hours saved after only five years of service. I shouldn’t be punished for being prudent.

Congratulations on never getting sick or having a baby I guess?

You mean not taking a whole day for a short appointment, making up hours lost for appointments when possible, and not taking random “mental health” days because I just don’t feel like going in?

Sorry you have such a shitty coworker! That must be really grating! I was in your shoes once- young, never got sick, tons of sick leave. Then I had two maternity leaves and kids in daycare, so yeah. Back up to two weeks sick leave saved up right now- woohoo! Would be a bummer if I had to blow it all on a quarantine if it turns out I was exposed to someone at my church caught covid19.

A little empathy could go a long way friend. Might make you less angry at the world at least.

I’m 42 and have a 7 and 4 year old. And the other assumptions you made are no more accurate.

[Anonymous]

I'm not a Fed and I don't know what the right answer is, but some posters sound like they intend to weaponize themselves should they become ill or need to be quarantined. No concern at all for co-workers or people in the workplace who might be impacted more severely if they get COVID-19? It's sad that it's already approaching that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm not a Fed and I don't know what the right answer is, but some posters sound like they intend to weaponize themselves should they become ill or need to be quarantined. No concern at all for co-workers or people in the workplace who might be impacted more severely if they get COVID-19? It's sad that it's already approaching that.

It’s not weaponizing. It’s prioritizing being able to continue financially providing for your family. The cold, hard reality is that the majority of us care more about our family’s well-being than strangers on the metro or an acquaintance at work. This is why it’s important people are assured they can quarantine themselves if needed without adverse impact on their family’s situation, but the “I’ve got my leave saved, too bad for you” mentality on here is going to cause further spread.

[Anonymous]

I carefully saved my leave for years and took advanced sick leave so that I could have two children and take two paid maternity leaves. I finally got my sick leave balance back to zero, after having to use annual leave almost as fast as I accrued it for my children's daycare sicknesses. I think that Feds like me who have very young children should get a break if both schools and offices close, as we didn't benefit from the forthcoming paid parental leave program and are still in the hole leave-wise.