Telework abuse - would you report?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Wow this thread has evolved into a bunch of telework-abusers trying to justify their abuse of the system. You should be ashamed of yourselves. You don't get paid to pick up your kids/do laundry/clean your house/take time off/go to the park/etc. while others are actually working during telework hours.

You are right. I literally don't get paid for that time because my telework days are part-time days, which many people seem to forget. I am done at 2 and can go anywhere I please on MY OWN TIME.

So your comment doesn't apply here.

[Anonymous]

I posted a similar question a few years ago, only the abuser was my boss. I was also told to "MYOB". It was a really frustrating situation. I don't think her supervisor had any clue and my only option for reporting would have been to go above/around her. I admit it probably would not have worked out well for me. I lost a lot of respect for her and it's one of the reasons I ultimately left that job.

[Anonymous]

Almost all of my coworkers exclusively telework but we don't necessarily have strict work times so there is a lot of schedule flexibility. If I send them an email and don't get a response, my reaction depends entirely on how urgent it is. If I need a response within a couple of hours and they appear to be offline, I'll check with their manager to see if there is anyone else that can help in the person's absence. If it isn't urgent, I just wait for the person to get back to me.

If I need to check with their manager, it is never presented as "Larla/Larlo isn't working like they should" since I don't know their schedule and I don't care. I'm not trying to get anyone in trouble, I just need an answer/action. However, this has led to the person I needed a response from getting talked to about their schedule once or twice over the years as their manager was finding them to be habitually unavailable.

Present the issue to management without making any judgement calls: I need an answer from Larla, she's unavailable, is there anyone else that can assist or how would you like me to proceed? If management is ok with her being out of pocket, they can provide an alternate point of contact or recommendation. If they expect her to be available and she's not, they can follow up with her about her schedule.

[Anonymous]

To everyone who says the telework employee may be taking a late lunch break, I agree 100%. To everyone saying she could be taking personal leave, that is what out of office messages are for. Use them.

[Anonymous]

Everybody who thinks she is taking leave or lunch is naive. My friend also telecommutes and I know for sure (because she has told me) that she only works her core hours of 8-4 (or 5) does not work evenings, nights or early in the morning. Yet every morning she goes to the gym and still takes a lunch hour to jog. Clearly she is abusing her telework but I would never say anything to her or report (not even same agencies).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Wow this thread has evolved into a bunch of telework-abusers trying to justify their abuse of the system. You should be ashamed of yourselves. You don't get paid to pick up your kids/do laundry/clean your house/take time off/go to the park/etc. while others are actually working during telework hours.

You are right. I literally don't get paid for that time because my telework days are part-time days, which many people seem to forget. I am done at 2 and can go anywhere I please on MY OWN TIME.

So your comment doesn't apply here.

It does because sometimes someone will be snippy with me about not getting an immediate response and complained to my boss. They didn't even know I was part time. I guess for seven years I'd been responsive enough they thought I was full time...so I can't be that much of a slacker!

[Anonymous]

OP, have you ever heard of a telephone? If you truly need something, call her. If she doesn't answer or picks up and it's clear that she's at the park and not working, have a conversation with her about it first class NOT MANAGEMENT.

You: hi. Just checking to see if you received my email. I really need to wrap this up today.

Her: (background noise with children playing) oh. I'm away from my computer until Monday morning.

You: oh. Well I really need this. Is there any way you can log back on today?

Her: yes. Ok.

OR

Her: well I already put in a leave slip/talked to our boss and I'm officially off this afternoon buy I will respond to your message.

Problem solved (maybe)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Wow this thread has evolved into a bunch of telework-abusers trying to justify their abuse of the system. You should be ashamed of yourselves. You don't get paid to pick up your kids/do laundry/clean your house/take time off/go to the park/etc. while others are actually working during telework hours.

You are right. I literally don't get paid for that time because my telework days are part-time days, which many people seem to forget. I am done at 2 and can go anywhere I please on MY OWN TIME.

So your comment doesn't apply here.

It does because sometimes someone will be snippy with me about not getting an immediate response and complained to my boss. They didn't even know I was part time. I guess for seven years I'd been responsive enough they thought I was full time...so I can't be that much of a slacker!

It still doesn't apply because OP's coworker isn't part time. See? But thanks for your participation.

[Anonymous]

I am a Fed manager. Report it if you must but here are a couple tips.

1. Make sure you have proof and the message is delivered properly. If you came to me and said "Bob's wife sees her at the park, blah blah," I would likely look at you oddly. Do you really expect me to act based on the word of someone who does not even work here? Plus, other PPs are right - you do not know the particulars of HER arrangement. However, if you came to me and said that her lack of responsiveness to you and the team (for whatever reason) is holding up the train, I would respond and act on that. I probably would not even mention telework to her when I addressed it.

2. If you couch this as a telework abuse issue, be prepared for the blowback. We are required to report potential telework abuse. In the past, that has meant an audit of the entire unit (not mine, thank goodness). In our agency, that means all telework in that unit (other than duty station/locality accommodations) would be suspended during the audit. If it slipped that you were responsible, it might not go over well with your colleagues.

3. In sum, phrase it as a response/operation issue, not a telwork issue.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Wow this thread has evolved into a bunch of telework-abusers trying to justify their abuse of the system. You should be ashamed of yourselves. You don't get paid to pick up your kids/do laundry/clean your house/take time off/go to the park/etc. while others are actually working during telework hours.

Seriously - do people in this thread not have any work to do? On days that I'm teleworking, only on an ad-hoc basis, I'm fielding calls, emails, sitting down and working on projects - you know, work. There is no time for the park, laundry, etc. My desk phone forwards to my cell phone. I could go on and on. This person in question is clearly just warming a chair and taking up space in a position that could probably be eliminated or reduced to part-time, if they are only working 3 days a week.

I work hard on telework days too -- but yes I throw in the laundry. And maybe take a walk at lunch time. I take a walk when I'm at the office too.

I telework full time after working in the office for years. So now instead of chatting with coworkers, doing potlucks for someone's birthday, etc. I am cleaning out the dishwasher, calling the pediatrician, feeding the cats, and yes I pick my kid up from school during what used to be my official 15 minute break.

Are all of you people who are bitching NEVER chatting with a coworker about weekend plans or making a personal call while in the office.

OP - mind your own business. Seriously.

[Anonymous]

I work in a small office, with no real 'official' policies on this. We don't have hourly timecards, etc.

My issue is work getting done. I work 'reactively' rather than 'proactively' on my work from home day. I don't get as much done as when I'm in the office. I might go to a 9am workout class, or pick up my kid at 3. THAT SAID - I'm available. I always will respond to an email - either saying I'll be at my computer to address this in an hour (even if I'm at Target) or take a call right then. I also will never refuse a meeting request etc just because it's on my 'home' day - I would consider that abuse of the policy.

My supervisor would say I'm one of her most productive and reliable employees though I know some would say I'm abusing the system. I do take vacation time if I'm not able to reply - traveling etc. I have a coworker who does not have childcare for her 3 year old on her work from home day - not ideal but if she gets her work done, that's ok. When she doesn't and isn't avaliable via email or phone for hours at a time - not ok. And we've had conversations about it.

The fact that she's not available and responsive during work hours, and it's affecting the performance of her colleagues/group - that is an issue.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Wow this thread has evolved into a bunch of telework-abusers trying to justify their abuse of the system. You should be ashamed of yourselves. You don't get paid to pick up your kids/do laundry/clean your house/take time off/go to the park/etc. while others are actually working during telework hours.

You are right. I literally don't get paid for that time because my telework days are part-time days, which many people seem to forget. I am done at 2 and can go anywhere I please on MY OWN TIME.

So your comment doesn't apply here.

It does because sometimes someone will be snippy with me about not getting an immediate response and complained to my boss. They didn't even know I was part time. I guess for seven years I'd been responsive enough they thought I was full time...so I can't be that much of a slacker!

It still doesn't apply because OP's coworker isn't part time. See? But thanks for your participation.

It might. OP doesn't seem to or claim to know the details of coworker's arrangement and admitted there is some flex scheduling for the full time workers. Also, this thread veered into "let's bash anyone who works at home and doesn't respond instantly to email" in the many intervening pages discussing aspects of telework. Plenty of people are telling OP that there may be good reason for the response time.

My team knows to call me if something is urgent, it seems like a no-brainer resolution. Wonder why OP hasn't bothered and wants to report coworker instead? Weird.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Wow this thread has evolved into a bunch of telework-abusers trying to justify their abuse of the system. You should be ashamed of yourselves. You don't get paid to pick up your kids/do laundry/clean your house/take time off/go to the park/etc. while others are actually working during telework hours.

You are right. I literally don't get paid for that time because my telework days are part-time days, which many people seem to forget. I am done at 2 and can go anywhere I please on MY OWN TIME.

So your comment doesn't apply here.

It does because sometimes someone will be snippy with me about not getting an immediate response and complained to my boss. They didn't even know I was part time. I guess for seven years I'd been responsive enough they thought I was full time...so I can't be that much of a slacker!

It still doesn't apply because OP's coworker isn't part time. See? But thanks for your participation.

It might. OP doesn't seem to or claim to know the details of coworker's arrangement and admitted there is some flex scheduling for the full time workers. Also, this thread veered into "let's bash anyone who works at home and doesn't respond instantly to email" in the many intervening pages discussing aspects of telework. Plenty of people are telling OP that there may be good reason for the response time.

My team knows to call me if something is urgent, it seems like a no-brainer resolution. Wonder why OP hasn't bothered and wants to report coworker instead? Weird.

No, those are just bad excuses. We all know that telework is largely a joke, but since it is a great perk, most people just stay mum about all of the major and minor abuses that occur during telework time.

[Anonymous]

MYOFB

[Anonymous]

OP, you don't know what you don't know. I second the suggestions that IF YOU report this you don't "tattle" on her for being seen in the park, but instead avoid mentioning the teleworking at all and say "Co-worker doesn't respond to email in a timely fashion, and here are some examples (hey, they're all on friday or monday) that support my claim." Still seems a little tattle-y to me, but if you must.

I telework full time and am salaried. I do my work, don't think about "hours," am nearly ALWAYS accessible by email -- including at 10pm, or 7am, or Saturday at noon. But sure, I go for runs in the middle of the day. I get groceries. I make bread. If someone were to say "you need to be at your desk from 9-5," I'd do that, but it would be a major cut to my productivity because it would show that the manager had no respect for my own agency. And I sure as heck wouldn't be responding to email on the weekend anymore.