Federal employees "working from home"

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There are many in government drawing $150-$200k salaries and averaging 2-3 hours of work/day. You have a lot of free time, me time, fraud time, abuse time, flex time everyday. There’s no need to plan it; it’s just there for the taking.

If it is so good, why don’t you apply then?

This is a typical stupid response. Address the issue. Essentially, you’re saying, “quit fighting for ethical work behavior and join us in our fraud.” I have self respect.

+1

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I worked for the government for 20 years. It’s interesting that the instinct of most posters on here is to defend WFH, the time the dad has with his kids, federal employee time-off benefits, etc. In other words, when confronted with the possibility of abuse, federal workers quickly rally around the flag. My experience with such knee-jerk responses is that many know there is abuse, but they don’t want light shed on it. Why? Because they do it too. They don’t want the gravy train to stop. Another typical response to such allegations is that federal employees need a break because they are underpaid. Again, this is all about distraction. For the work performed, many, many Federal employees are overpaid, especially when lifetime benefits are considered. This is even more egregious at the financial regulators. I know. Been there, done that. OP, what you describe is abuse and fraud. It has nothing to do with flexible work arrangements. Unfortunately, I could name you a dozen people from my former agency division that do as your ex does. Yes, they abuse the system. Any “jealousy” on your part is really outrage that this can be happening, and yes, a bit of “if this is how it works, why not me.” But, this isn’t how it should work. You are right to question it.

I think the bigger issue is that most of the work we do does not require a full 8 hours. Many meetings are a waste of time or redundant. There are many "bullshit" activities to take up time. I worked a bilingual (French) expert who did human capital planning. I still have no idea what she really did. Nothing about our office changed when she came or when she left. She was a GS 15. I think it is hard to crack the whip on employees when the work is immaterial and many jobs don't require the same type of labor as they once did. I have witnessed one task that used to take weeks to complete, now become completely automated. Those same people who did the job are still employed. Now a manager can assign new tasks but are those new tasks really helpful to the overall mission.

There are many "user experience" jobs in the Federal government that should really focus on the usability of external facing and public goods to help people access Federal services easier. Instead, people are making creative projects and tweaking graphic design branding.

Our office recently tossed away hundreds of dollars of office supplied purchased during the 2000s. Cabinets full of legal note pads, pens, staplers, pens etc.. Someone spent their time and energy purchasing these items assuming they would be used within 5-10 years. Almost 20 years later, all those purchases are going in the trash. Is the also fraud, waste and abuse?

I don't know if we really have any idea what work should look like now. Some people do work hard and their work is extremely important. Many people don't work hard because their work does not have an impact. Who really knows? How many jobs will be obsolete in 20 years?

This is most white collar jobs. Not sure why I have to pretend to work for 8 hours in an office versus as home.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why on earth would you be upset that your child's father is able to spend a lot of time with them!!!?????

Seriously! This was my first thought as well. That’s great OP. You’re so lucky. Especially to have coverage for all breaks!

That’s like saying if his dad is stealing money and giving it to the kid, it’s a good thing.

No, it’s not, OP, but we get it - you hate your ex. Sounds like a you problem, not a leave problem. Feds earn a lot of leave and there are a lot of AWS situations. You obvi have no idea what your ex’s work schedule is but are happy to jump to the conclusion that he is cheating the system. Probably because he cheated on you.

What’s obvi?

It’s how 12-year-old girls abbreviate “obviously.”

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I worked for the government for 20 years. It’s interesting that the instinct of most posters on here is to defend WFH, the time the dad has with his kids, federal employee time-off benefits, etc. In other words, when confronted with the possibility of abuse, federal workers quickly rally around the flag. My experience with such knee-jerk responses is that many know there is abuse, but they don’t want light shed on it. Why? Because they do it too. They don’t want the gravy train to stop. Another typical response to such allegations is that federal employees need a break because they are underpaid. Again, this is all about distraction. For the work performed, many, many Federal employees are overpaid, especially when lifetime benefits are considered. This is even more egregious at the financial regulators. I know. Been there, done that. OP, what you describe is abuse and fraud. It has nothing to do with flexible work arrangements. Unfortunately, I could name you a dozen people from my former agency division that do as your ex does. Yes, they abuse the system. Any “jealousy” on your part is really outrage that this can be happening, and yes, a bit of “if this is how it works, why not me.” But, this isn’t how it should work. You are right to question it.

I think the bigger issue is that most of the work we do does not require a full 8 hours. Many meetings are a waste of time or redundant. There are many "bullshit" activities to take up time. I worked a bilingual (French) expert who did human capital planning. I still have no idea what she really did. Nothing about our office changed when she came or when she left. She was a GS 15. I think it is hard to crack the whip on employees when the work is immaterial and many jobs don't require the same type of labor as they once did. I have witnessed one task that used to take weeks to complete, now become completely automated. Those same people who did the job are still employed. Now a manager can assign new tasks but are those new tasks really helpful to the overall mission.

There are many "user experience" jobs in the Federal government that should really focus on the usability of external facing and public goods to help people access Federal services easier. Instead, people are making creative projects and tweaking graphic design branding.

Our office recently tossed away hundreds of dollars of office supplied purchased during the 2000s. Cabinets full of legal note pads, pens, staplers, pens etc.. Someone spent their time and energy purchasing these items assuming they would be used within 5-10 years. Almost 20 years later, all those purchases are going in the trash. Is the also fraud, waste and abuse?

I don't know if we really have any idea what work should look like now. Some people do work hard and their work is extremely important. Many people don't work hard because their work does not have an impact. Who really knows? How many jobs will be obsolete in 20 years?

Thanks for a genuine and meaningful response.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There are many in government drawing $150-$200k salaries and averaging 2-3 hours of work/day. You have a lot of free time, me time, fraud time, abuse time, flex time everyday. There’s no need to plan it; it’s just there for the taking.

If it is so good, why don’t you apply then?

This is a typical stupid response. Address the issue. Essentially, you’re saying, “quit fighting for ethical work behavior and join us in our fraud.” I have self respect.

No, it’s a response to point out the ridiculousness of the original assertion that tons of people are abusing the system and not working.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There are many in government drawing $150-$200k salaries and averaging 2-3 hours of work/day. You have a lot of free time, me time, fraud time, abuse time, flex time everyday. There’s no need to plan it; it’s just there for the taking.

If it is so good, why don’t you apply then?

This is a typical stupid response. Address the issue. Essentially, you’re saying, “quit fighting for ethical work behavior and join us in our fraud.” I have self respect.

+1

+2

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There are many in government drawing $150-$200k salaries and averaging 2-3 hours of work/day. You have a lot of free time, me time, fraud time, abuse time, flex time everyday. There’s no need to plan it; it’s just there for the taking.

If it is so good, why don’t you apply then?

This is a typical stupid response. Address the issue. Essentially, you’re saying, “quit fighting for ethical work behavior and join us in our fraud.” I have self respect.

No, it’s a response to point out the ridiculousness of the original assertion that tons of people are abusing the system and not working.

Look, as in any system, there are many hard workers, but many slackers co-exist with them. It’s ok to call out the slackers. Sure, there are slackers in private industry too, but eventually they get axed. In the federal government, they rarely, if ever, get axed. Instead, the slackers become some of the most outspoken about WFH, employee benefits, etc. They turn their entire job into working and milking the system. They’ll tell you how tough they have it, but they’re on Gravy Street.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why on earth would you be upset that your child's father is able to spend a lot of time with them!!!?????

Seriously! This was my first thought as well. That’s great OP. You’re so lucky. Especially to have coverage for all breaks!

Not upset that he gets to spend time with the kids. Upset at how much he gets paid vs how little he works. We do split time. If he's not with the kids over their breaks, he's generally on another vacation.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I worked for the government for 20 years. It’s interesting that the instinct of most posters on here is to defend WFH, the time the dad has with his kids, federal employee time-off benefits, etc. In other words, when confronted with the possibility of abuse, federal workers quickly rally around the flag. My experience with such knee-jerk responses is that many know there is abuse, but they don’t want light shed on it. Why? Because they do it too. They don’t want the gravy train to stop. Another typical response to such allegations is that federal employees need a break because they are underpaid. Again, this is all about distraction. For the work performed, many, many Federal employees are overpaid, especially when lifetime benefits are considered. This is even more egregious at the financial regulators. I know. Been there, done that. OP, what you describe is abuse and fraud. It has nothing to do with flexible work arrangements. Unfortunately, I could name you a dozen people from my former agency division that do as your ex does. Yes, they abuse the system. Any “jealousy” on your part is really outrage that this can be happening, and yes, a bit of “if this is how it works, why not me.” But, this isn’t how it should work. You are right to question it.

I think the bigger issue is that most of the work we do does not require a full 8 hours. Many meetings are a waste of time or redundant. There are many "bullshit" activities to take up time. I worked a bilingual (French) expert who did human capital planning. I still have no idea what she really did. Nothing about our office changed when she came or when she left. She was a GS 15. I think it is hard to crack the whip on employees when the work is immaterial and many jobs don't require the same type of labor as they once did. I have witnessed one task that used to take weeks to complete, now become completely automated. Those same people who did the job are still employed. Now a manager can assign new tasks but are those new tasks really helpful to the overall mission.

There are many "user experience" jobs in the Federal government that should really focus on the usability of external facing and public goods to help people access Federal services easier. Instead, people are making creative projects and tweaking graphic design branding.

Our office recently tossed away hundreds of dollars of office supplied purchased during the 2000s. Cabinets full of legal note pads, pens, staplers, pens etc.. Someone spent their time and energy purchasing these items assuming they would be used within 5-10 years. Almost 20 years later, all those purchases are going in the trash. Is the also fraud, waste and abuse?

I don't know if we really have any idea what work should look like now. Some people do work hard and their work is extremely important. Many people don't work hard because their work does not have an impact. Who really knows? How many jobs will be obsolete in 20 years?

I agree with the first PP here, and as for the second PP - more than you know!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Oh dear, it seems as though someone is a little envious of the flexible work-life balance that federal employees can enjoy. Let's take a moment to clear up your confusion, shall we? Federal employees do have a relatively generous leave package, including annual leave, sick leave, and various other leave options, which may include family and medical leave or even leave for volunteer activities. It's not inconceivable that your child's father is simply adept at managing his leave time and taking advantage of the flexibility his job offers. In fact, many federal agencies have been promoting work-life balance for years, because, believe it or not, happy and well-rested employees are more productive.

Now, if you find yourself questioning the integrity of your child's father, it might be more productive to address those concerns directly with him instead of speculating on DCUM. As for your career aspirations, it's never too late to consider a change if you're unhappy with your current situation. However, I do hope you understand that the grass isn't always greener on the other side, and the federal sector has its own unique set of challenges and responsibilities. But, best of luck to you in your quest for a more satisfying and flexible work arrangement.

OP here. As a federal contractor, I see both sides. I interact closely with federal employees who struggle with work life balance because of the work expectations. I'm baffled that in a separate federal agency its so vastly different where he can be away so often under so many circumstances.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:For the pick ups and practices he might be flexing. He can leave for a few hours and either start early or end later to cover the time away. He should have enough leave to cover a week for winter break, spring break, and summer break. That leaves a week for a vacation and 5 days to cover field trips, etc.


He may get his bonus as leave hours instead of money. I can't tell you if he is slacking or not, but he could be working 40 hours and performing as expected and still be able to do the things he does with his child. One of the advantages of being a Fed is the work life balance.

Way more than the extra ten days you are suggesting would be left. Just very curious about it all.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:For the pick ups and practices he might be flexing. He can leave for a few hours and either start early or end later to cover the time away. He should have enough leave to cover a week for winter break, spring break, and summer break. That leaves a week for a vacation and 5 days to cover field trips, etc.


He may get his bonus as leave hours instead of money. I can't tell you if he is slacking or not, but he could be working 40 hours and performing as expected and still be able to do the things he does with his child. One of the advantages of being a Fed is the work life balance.

On our dime.

Oh hush. She said he is doing his 40 per week. So you’re getting your dime’s worth. I’m a fed. Our managers can’t give meaningful bonuses and there is a ton of policy and reg about pay and promotions. So the ONE thing they can do that adds value is approve our leave requests. Request for leave that we have earned. So most managers are just fine with feds that have earned leave taking the leave. They are also ok with flexible schedules. Our pay is crap. A 15 step 5 or 6 is already getting the statutory maximum— so no pay increases except cost of living. So he’s going to take that leave because it’s the main benefit of government theses days.

I said this? As OP, I do not think he is doing 40 hours per week. but what do I know?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why on earth would you be upset that your child's father is able to spend a lot of time with them!!!?????

Because he has a bad work ethic and cheating on his job is indicative of poor morals and poor character. Not something one wants their children to learn from and emulate.

Yet OP had a child with him.

Yup, when he was at the office full days and supposedly had very, very little leave.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Lol, so the only evidence of telework abuse that OP has is the fact that her baby daddy spends his vacations with his kid and takes him to soccer practice?

Nope, you missed that he is also on weeks and weeks of vacations...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I worked for the government for 20 years. It’s interesting that the instinct of most posters on here is to defend WFH, the time the dad has with his kids, federal employee time-off benefits, etc. In other words, when confronted with the possibility of abuse, federal workers quickly rally around the flag. My experience with such knee-jerk responses is that many know there is abuse, but they don’t want light shed on it. Why? Because they do it too. They don’t want the gravy train to stop. Another typical response to such allegations is that federal employees need a break because they are underpaid. Again, this is all about distraction. For the work performed, many, many Federal employees are overpaid, especially when lifetime benefits are considered. This is even more egregious at the financial regulators. I know. Been there, done that. OP, what you describe is abuse and fraud. It has nothing to do with flexible work arrangements. Unfortunately, I could name you a dozen people from my former agency division that do as your ex does. Yes, they abuse the system. Any “jealousy” on your part is really outrage that this can be happening, and yes, a bit of “if this is how it works, why not me.” But, this isn’t how it should work. You are right to question it.

Thank you. I appreciate this. As I said in another post, I am a fed contractor who works closely with feds in another agency and see firsthand, due to the nature of my work, how overworked and stressed many are. I recognize it may vary between agencies but I refuse to believe this is someone just "managing time well" and enjoying generous leave benefits. If the feds I work with had the type of schedule he does, I don't think I'd hear about the stress that they describe.