Fed Jobs Searching Telework

[Anonymous]

I've been a fed for 8 years. Past 3 jobs have banned telework. I'm job searching now due mostly to this. Is there any way to tell ahead of time if a job is telework friendly? I really don't want to waste my time on jobs that don't allow telework. I also don't want it to be the first thing I ask about in my phone interviews and don't want to waste the employer's time either.

I'm only looking for 1-2 days of telework a week, not full telework, but this seems like a lost cause. I've read so many posters on here who are allowed telework in the government, but it seems to be boss specific.

USA jobs lists whether travel will be required, why not telework?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I've been a fed for 8 years. Past 3 jobs have banned telework. I'm job searching now due mostly to this. Is there any way to tell ahead of time if a job is telework friendly? I really don't want to waste my time on jobs that don't allow telework. I also don't want it to be the first thing I ask about in my phone interviews and don't want to waste the employer's time either.

I'm only looking for 1-2 days of telework a week, not full telework, but this seems like a lost cause. I've read so many posters on here who are allowed telework in the government, but it seems to be boss specific.

USA jobs lists whether travel will be required, why not telework?

Its discretionary. Some agencies allow telework, but your supervisor might not let you.

[Anonymous]

interesting--- what type of work do you do? It might be worth posting it that way-
ie- federal labor and employment attorney- looking for an agency that will allow telework, etc.
You can also try asking about an agency, but depending on how large the agency is you might or might not get useful answers.

There are certain jobs- ie security guard-- that will not allow telework in any agency.

[Anonymous]

I think your best bet to research some of the agencies that you're interested in or often hire your particular job series. Hopefully, in 8 years as a fed you've had opportunities to network outside of your agency. I know of several agencies that allow telework because of personal contacts I have at those agencies.

You can also dig into the Federal Employee Viewpoint Survey responses (by agency). There are questions (#72 and 73) there that ask about teleworking. For instance, you can see that 22% of employees at DHS were told they are eligible for telework compared to 85% at EPA.
http://www.fedview.opm.gov/2014/Published/

[Anonymous]

Some jobs can't offer telework due to nature of the work. Many openings list telework as a perk, but one of the red flags might be those that require high security clearance. You can't telework if you work in a SCIF...

[Anonymous]

OP here. I'm an analyst and have been a program specialist before. Every job I had was "telework eligible" so that doesn't tell you whether you're allowed or not. I'm a great employee, so it's not that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here. I'm an analyst and have been a program specialist before. Every job I had was "telework eligible" so that doesn't tell you whether you're allowed or not. I'm a great employee, so it's not that.

You think you're a great employee

[Anonymous]

I think PP's point was that once you find a job you're interested in, your best bet would be to find a contact at that agency and ask about their general telework beliefs. Honestly though, a lot of managers I've met at least prefer that someone not telework for the first few months. It doesn't make a whole lot of sense from the agency perspective to immediately allow telework when the employee needs very hands-on orientation.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:interesting--- what type of work do you do? It might be worth posting it that way-
ie- federal labor and employment attorney- looking for an agency that will allow telework, etc.
You can also try asking about an agency, but depending on how large the agency is you might or might not get useful answers.

There are certain jobs- ie security guard-- that will not allow telework in any agency.

Wow, this is about the least helpful post ever. No sh%t a security guard would not be able to telework.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think PP's point was that once you find a job you're interested in, your best bet would be to find a contact at that agency and ask about their general telework beliefs. Honestly though, a lot of managers I've met at least prefer that someone not telework for the first few months. It doesn't make a whole lot of sense from the agency perspective to immediately allow telework when the employee needs very hands-on orientation.

I will try to do this. At my current job I can't telework. However, my contacts at this agency all telework 3-5 days a week. It varies SO much from boss to boss.

I just wish the specific job advertisement said whether telework was available. I don't mind waiting 6 months to telework, I just want to know if it is a possibility.

[Anonymous]

Patent and Trademark are very telework friendly.

[Anonymous]

I'm a Program Analyst at NIH and telework 3 days a week. I do think it's office dependent.

GSA allows teleworking very often as they have moved to an open floor plan versus offices and cubicles.

[Anonymous]

At my agency you are not allowed to telework for the first 12 months of employment, and then after that it is specific to your boss and position. Our program analysts are not allowed to telework, even after 12 months, as they are responsible for interfacing with the public (phones/e-mail).

[Anonymous]

Why, specifically, do you want to telework? I wonder if your current supervisor thinks you will abuse it (teleworking to avoid daycare costs, for example)? Is he/she a face-to-face manager?

If others at your agency telework, can you move to another office/division?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Why, specifically, do you want to telework? I wonder if your current supervisor thinks you will abuse it (teleworking to avoid daycare costs, for example)? Is he/she a face-to-face manager?

If others at your agency telework, can you move to another office/division?

Side note- can other people move around that easily?!! If I wanted to move to a different office, they would have to post a job ad on usa jobs for me and then I would apply and get it.