New OPM memo on RTO

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Well the new version is much better written than the old version. I hope someone saved that old version for posterity's sake.

amanda scales isn’t the brightest tool in the shed.

What new / old version?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It’s called before care and after school, provided at the school. Starting at 7 am in the morning and ending at 5 pm in the evening.

And every single one has a waitlist that is years long. Try again.

There are always options outside of school. You need to try harder.

A lot of people are looking for aftercare now. Please post the underutilized aftercare locations- you’d be doing us a solid.

Signed, #18 on my schools after care waitlist , #10 on the local karate dojo that picks up at school waitlist

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It’s called before care and after school, provided at the school. Starting at 7 am in the morning and ending at 5 pm in the evening.

And every single one has a waitlist that is years long. Try again.

There are always options outside of school. You need to try harder.

A lot of people are looking for aftercare now. Please post the underutilized aftercare locations- you’d be doing us a solid.

Signed, #18 on my schools after care waitlist , #10 on the local karate dojo that picks up at school waitlist

I too would like this list. Also one with a sliding scale.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Did SSA says they are following the RtO memo— which has a carve out for following the law, and therefore CBAs? Or that 100% of staff would be coming in, screw the CHA? Big difference.

not sure why someone won't just post the language of the email, but from what i've seen it seems that all they did was send out the "will fully comply" email that was requested in the OPM memo: "The agency head or acting agency head should email all employees notifying them of President Trump’s PM Return to In-Person Work, attach a copy of the PM, and notify employees of the agency’s intention to fully comply with the PM."

but since the memo also says that "OPM recommends that agencies set a target date of approximately 30 days for full compliance with the PM, subject to any exclusions granted by the agency and any collective bargaining obligations" so full compliance doens't necessarily mean that they will ignore the CBA.

Yeah, the email is in that vein

THANK YOU!


— SSA employee who is out of the country this week and can’t access email, but is covered under the CBA. There is a huge difference between “will comply with Trump’s order” and “will ignore the CBA”. The CBA should still carry the day, but it’s going to be a lot easier if they don’t just ignore it and need an injunction. At SSA, a difference that affects 42,000 people. I feel terrible for our managers, but they have known for at least 2 months they would likely have to come in everyday. Rank and file has felt somewhat protected by the CBA.

“SSA killed telework” guy may have fun trolling, but the misinformation and lies suck. If 42,000 employees out of. 60,000 have telework, it is not dead.

I dunno. Given the memo states up front - "In addition, during the Biden Administration, federal unions attempted
to abuse the collective-bargaining process to guarantee full-time telework into the indefinite future
and forestall any requirement to return to the office" - I think folks are dreaming if they don't believe that the Trumpers are going to go scorched earth to toss out any CBA provisions that purport to guarantee telework.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I didn't have school aged kids before telework so what did people do? Did people put their kids in before/aftercare/camps/school for 10 hours a day? How did people find time for extracurriculars if elementary kids are in aftercare until 5:30-6?

My kids were not yet school aged when COVID started so they were still in daycare/preschool. But even before COVID DH and I both teleworked multiple days per week so that at least one of us was home. Usually the commuting spouse would do morning drop off since they had to head out anyway and then the teleworking parent would do pickup so the kids didn’t have to be there past 5.

I think a lot of parents of school aged kids teleworked at least hybrid before COVID. It’s not like March 2020 marked the invention of WAH. For those who need longer hours, they use aftercare, but staffing has gotten harder in the childcare sector so spots are limited with long waitlists. Or maybe if you’re lucky you can find a martial arts type place that has a van to do school pickup and take them to do activities.

I also think a lot of the parents were just not in the workforce or were underemployed. I guess this administration thinks that is preferable to go back to.

My kids a now in extracurriculars starting as early as 4:30/5. To keep them in we’d have to take leave some days, use carpools, stagger hours, not really sure yet … thankfully my DH’s private sector job has been remote since 2018 and his colleagues are scattered across the country with no office to go to, so I guess he would have to take on more of the kid shuffling at home if I go back 5 days (holding out hope my agency’s CBA holds). I would try to jump ship out of government quickly though if forced to commute 5 days/week.

The schedule and juggling you describe is very normal. My husband is 5x/week and I am remote and do more juggling, but I can’t do it all while working during the day, so we have a nanny who helps after school with driving while I am working. Millions of people do this and it is not fun, but it is the norm.

Let me guess, either you don’t live in the DC area, or your husband is a high earner in the private sector. My husband and I are both feds and would not be able to afford a nanny to drive our two elementary aged kids to activities.

As others have mentioned camps alone offer garbage hours and after care to add on another $200 to a camp week that already costs $500 is cost prohibitive.

Our kids were 2 and 5 when Covid hit and we sucked it up and maintained our work performance and duties even though it felt impossible. We had no help. This feels like a real “f you” after we have been dedicated career civil servants over many years for different administrations.

We don’t have a problem with returning to the office, but, the extremism is the issue. Why strip people of flexibilities they had prior to Covid? Why suggest total eradication of telework? If we can even keep 1-2 days per week that will help most people feel like they can stay a little sane and manage all of their work/life balances and priorities.

Its tone deaf to act like this is a brand new and insurmountable problem. Many people are working in person for the last few years, many of them have kids, and many of them are not high earners.

Before and after care exists for a reason. If you cant flex your schedule you use it. And stop signing up for activities that start before 6pm.

By elementary school, every family I knew had a spouse who worked part time or SAH (or was a teacher). That’s what you have to do to avoid having kids in aftercare till 6 or to manage any after school activities.

Exactly. It’s what I did, and honestly I took a major career hit. And apparently a bunch of government employees never had to take this hit because they’re paid while they watch their kids. And now it’s ending.

We don’t watch our kids!!! They are in school and we pay for after care.

My fed office moved during Covid. It went from a 20 minute commute to what is now a 40 minute commute on a good day. I already do not full time telework.

But if I go in 5 days per week along with every other gov person my commute will likely be 1 hour plus.

We have no family locally. My spouse and I have always made it work.

But making our lives harder just for fun is stupid.

My spouse is a veteran as was my late father. We have spent our lives serving our country in various capacities. Riddle me this—is this admin, and its supporters are all pro family pro life, why is it against supporting actual families that exist?! That currently serve the American public??? Make it make sense!!

They are pro family with a working father and SAHM.

I truly hope it chaps their a$$ to know that I am a woman who will be leaving my federal govt job where I can get my kids off the bus and moving to biglaw where I’ll have to hire some stranger to watch my kids instead. I’ll make lots of money, though. Sorry MAGAs.

I truly love how every single Fed lawyer is convinced that they can seamlessly make the transition to BigLaw, and succeed.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This really doesn’t affect me. I live 25
Min from the office, my kids are in aftercare/camps, therefore I can go back to the office everyday starting tomorrow. However, I am highly protective/efficient, I work 9-10 hrs at home. I will be in the office 8hrs and will work 4, then I will spend the other 4 hrs socializing. If you think that I don’t work then I won’t work. But I am not leaving my job.

Same. My kids are in HS. I work 9-10 hours a day and respond to emails even earlier/later since my agency allows Teams on personal phone. My commute isn’t bad. But they are getting strictly 7:30-4 once I return to the office.

Your commute isn’t bad….YET

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Did SSA says they are following the RtO memo— which has a carve out for following the law, and therefore CBAs? Or that 100% of staff would be coming in, screw the CHA? Big difference.

not sure why someone won't just post the language of the email, but from what i've seen it seems that all they did was send out the "will fully comply" email that was requested in the OPM memo: "The agency head or acting agency head should email all employees notifying them of President Trump’s PM Return to In-Person Work, attach a copy of the PM, and notify employees of the agency’s intention to fully comply with the PM."

but since the memo also says that "OPM recommends that agencies set a target date of approximately 30 days for full compliance with the PM, subject to any exclusions granted by the agency and any collective bargaining obligations" so full compliance doens't necessarily mean that they will ignore the CBA.

Yeah, the email is in that vein

THANK YOU!


— SSA employee who is out of the country this week and can’t access email, but is covered under the CBA. There is a huge difference between “will comply with Trump’s order” and “will ignore the CBA”. The CBA should still carry the day, but it’s going to be a lot easier if they don’t just ignore it and need an injunction. At SSA, a difference that affects 42,000 people. I feel terrible for our managers, but they have known for at least 2 months they would likely have to come in everyday. Rank and file has felt somewhat protected by the CBA.

“SSA killed telework” guy may have fun trolling, but the misinformation and lies suck. If 42,000 employees out of. 60,000 have telework, it is not dead.

I dunno. Given the memo states up front - "In addition, during the Biden Administration, federal unions attempted
to abuse the collective-bargaining process to guarantee full-time telework into the indefinite future
and forestall any requirement to return to the office" - I think folks are dreaming if they don't believe that the Trumpers are going to go scorched earth to toss out any CBA provisions that purport to guarantee telework.

“Abused the collective-bargaining process” … that’s so ridiculous. It’s called negotiating an agreement. If someone doesn’t like the agreement, that doesn’t mean the parties abused the process.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’m at a private company that did RTO about a year ago. I agree this is all dumb and performative, but it won’t actually be that bad. Everyone at my company just leaves at 3:30-4 to get kids, beat traffic, etc. It’s technically not allowed but all the managers look the other way because they are doing the same thing. I work fewer hours than I used to even though total time commitment with the commute is about the same.

The message those in my agency are hearing is 8 hours a day in office, no exceptions. If you need to leave early/come in late, take leave. No making up the time at home in the morning/evening before/after appointments.

[Anonymous]

For those looking for child care, try colleges. Students are often willing to work just a few hours in the afternoon. That's where I found childcare when my kids were elementary school age.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I didn't have school aged kids before telework so what did people do? Did people put their kids in before/aftercare/camps/school for 10 hours a day? How did people find time for extracurriculars if elementary kids are in aftercare until 5:30-6?

My kids were not yet school aged when COVID started so they were still in daycare/preschool. But even before COVID DH and I both teleworked multiple days per week so that at least one of us was home. Usually the commuting spouse would do morning drop off since they had to head out anyway and then the teleworking parent would do pickup so the kids didn’t have to be there past 5.

I think a lot of parents of school aged kids teleworked at least hybrid before COVID. It’s not like March 2020 marked the invention of WAH. For those who need longer hours, they use aftercare, but staffing has gotten harder in the childcare sector so spots are limited with long waitlists. Or maybe if you’re lucky you can find a martial arts type place that has a van to do school pickup and take them to do activities.

I also think a lot of the parents were just not in the workforce or were underemployed. I guess this administration thinks that is preferable to go back to.

My kids a now in extracurriculars starting as early as 4:30/5. To keep them in we’d have to take leave some days, use carpools, stagger hours, not really sure yet … thankfully my DH’s private sector job has been remote since 2018 and his colleagues are scattered across the country with no office to go to, so I guess he would have to take on more of the kid shuffling at home if I go back 5 days (holding out hope my agency’s CBA holds). I would try to jump ship out of government quickly though if forced to commute 5 days/week.

The schedule and juggling you describe is very normal. My husband is 5x/week and I am remote and do more juggling, but I can’t do it all while working during the day, so we have a nanny who helps after school with driving while I am working. Millions of people do this and it is not fun, but it is the norm.

Let me guess, either you don’t live in the DC area, or your husband is a high earner in the private sector. My husband and I are both feds and would not be able to afford a nanny to drive our two elementary aged kids to activities.

As others have mentioned camps alone offer garbage hours and after care to add on another $200 to a camp week that already costs $500 is cost prohibitive.

Our kids were 2 and 5 when Covid hit and we sucked it up and maintained our work performance and duties even though it felt impossible. We had no help. This feels like a real “f you” after we have been dedicated career civil servants over many years for different administrations.

We don’t have a problem with returning to the office, but, the extremism is the issue. Why strip people of flexibilities they had prior to Covid? Why suggest total eradication of telework? If we can even keep 1-2 days per week that will help most people feel like they can stay a little sane and manage all of their work/life balances and priorities.

Its tone deaf to act like this is a brand new and insurmountable problem. Many people are working in person for the last few years, many of them have kids, and many of them are not high earners.

Before and after care exists for a reason. If you cant flex your schedule you use it. And stop signing up for activities that start before 6pm.

By elementary school, every family I knew had a spouse who worked part time or SAH (or was a teacher). That’s what you have to do to avoid having kids in aftercare till 6 or to manage any after school activities.

Exactly. It’s what I did, and honestly I took a major career hit. And apparently a bunch of government employees never had to take this hit because they’re paid while they watch their kids. And now it’s ending.

We don’t watch our kids!!! They are in school and we pay for after care.

My fed office moved during Covid. It went from a 20 minute commute to what is now a 40 minute commute on a good day. I already do not full time telework.

But if I go in 5 days per week along with every other gov person my commute will likely be 1 hour plus.

We have no family locally. My spouse and I have always made it work.

But making our lives harder just for fun is stupid.

My spouse is a veteran as was my late father. We have spent our lives serving our country in various capacities. Riddle me this—is this admin, and its supporters are all pro family pro life, why is it against supporting actual families that exist?! That currently serve the American public??? Make it make sense!!

They are pro family with a working father and SAHM.

I truly hope it chaps their a$$ to know that I am a woman who will be leaving my federal govt job where I can get my kids off the bus and moving to biglaw where I’ll have to hire some stranger to watch my kids instead. I’ll make lots of money, though. Sorry MAGAs.

I truly love how every single Fed lawyer is convinced that they can seamlessly make the transition to BigLaw, and succeed.

PP. I came from BigLaw but keep the sass up bc I’m thriving on the hate.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This group is angrier than the divorced women in the relationship section of the site.

Ha! Very true. There is at least one female government attorney on here that is totally chapped. She’s the one who writes all the dismissive, angry one liners.

In general, female attorneys who work for DOJ and the financial regulators seem most upset. Wonder why that is?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m at a private company that did RTO about a year ago. I agree this is all dumb and performative, but it won’t actually be that bad. Everyone at my company just leaves at 3:30-4 to get kids, beat traffic, etc. It’s technically not allowed but all the managers look the other way because they are doing the same thing. I work fewer hours than I used to even though total time commitment with the commute is about the same.

The message those in my agency are hearing is 8 hours a day in office, no exceptions. If you need to leave early/come in late, take leave. No making up the time at home in the morning/evening before/after appointments.

Hope they enjoy everyone working strictly 8 hrs from here on out.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I didn't have school aged kids before telework so what did people do? Did people put their kids in before/aftercare/camps/school for 10 hours a day? How did people find time for extracurriculars if elementary kids are in aftercare until 5:30-6?

My kids were not yet school aged when COVID started so they were still in daycare/preschool. But even before COVID DH and I both teleworked multiple days per week so that at least one of us was home. Usually the commuting spouse would do morning drop off since they had to head out anyway and then the teleworking parent would do pickup so the kids didn’t have to be there past 5.

I think a lot of parents of school aged kids teleworked at least hybrid before COVID. It’s not like March 2020 marked the invention of WAH. For those who need longer hours, they use aftercare, but staffing has gotten harder in the childcare sector so spots are limited with long waitlists. Or maybe if you’re lucky you can find a martial arts type place that has a van to do school pickup and take them to do activities.

I also think a lot of the parents were just not in the workforce or were underemployed. I guess this administration thinks that is preferable to go back to.

My kids a now in extracurriculars starting as early as 4:30/5. To keep them in we’d have to take leave some days, use carpools, stagger hours, not really sure yet … thankfully my DH’s private sector job has been remote since 2018 and his colleagues are scattered across the country with no office to go to, so I guess he would have to take on more of the kid shuffling at home if I go back 5 days (holding out hope my agency’s CBA holds). I would try to jump ship out of government quickly though if forced to commute 5 days/week.

The schedule and juggling you describe is very normal. My husband is 5x/week and I am remote and do more juggling, but I can’t do it all while working during the day, so we have a nanny who helps after school with driving while I am working. Millions of people do this and it is not fun, but it is the norm.

Let me guess, either you don’t live in the DC area, or your husband is a high earner in the private sector. My husband and I are both feds and would not be able to afford a nanny to drive our two elementary aged kids to activities.

As others have mentioned camps alone offer garbage hours and after care to add on another $200 to a camp week that already costs $500 is cost prohibitive.

Our kids were 2 and 5 when Covid hit and we sucked it up and maintained our work performance and duties even though it felt impossible. We had no help. This feels like a real “f you” after we have been dedicated career civil servants over many years for different administrations.

We don’t have a problem with returning to the office, but, the extremism is the issue. Why strip people of flexibilities they had prior to Covid? Why suggest total eradication of telework? If we can even keep 1-2 days per week that will help most people feel like they can stay a little sane and manage all of their work/life balances and priorities.

Its tone deaf to act like this is a brand new and insurmountable problem. Many people are working in person for the last few years, many of them have kids, and many of them are not high earners.

Before and after care exists for a reason. If you cant flex your schedule you use it. And stop signing up for activities that start before 6pm.

By elementary school, every family I knew had a spouse who worked part time or SAH (or was a teacher). That’s what you have to do to avoid having kids in aftercare till 6 or to manage any after school activities.

Exactly. It’s what I did, and honestly I took a major career hit. And apparently a bunch of government employees never had to take this hit because they’re paid while they watch their kids. And now it’s ending.

We don’t watch our kids!!! They are in school and we pay for after care.

My fed office moved during Covid. It went from a 20 minute commute to what is now a 40 minute commute on a good day. I already do not full time telework.

But if I go in 5 days per week along with every other gov person my commute will likely be 1 hour plus.

We have no family locally. My spouse and I have always made it work.

But making our lives harder just for fun is stupid.

My spouse is a veteran as was my late father. We have spent our lives serving our country in various capacities. Riddle me this—is this admin, and its supporters are all pro family pro life, why is it against supporting actual families that exist?! That currently serve the American public??? Make it make sense!!

They are pro family with a working father and SAHM.

I truly hope it chaps their a$$ to know that I am a woman who will be leaving my federal govt job where I can get my kids off the bus and moving to biglaw where I’ll have to hire some stranger to watch my kids instead. I’ll make lots of money, though. Sorry MAGAs.

I truly love how every single Fed lawyer is convinced that they can seamlessly make the transition to BigLaw, and succeed.

PP. I came from BigLaw but keep the sass up bc I’m thriving on the hate.

Wow! Bad look. Sounds like you’re full of attitude. You probably couldn’t get rehired by BigLaw.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I didn't have school aged kids before telework so what did people do? Did people put their kids in before/aftercare/camps/school for 10 hours a day? How did people find time for extracurriculars if elementary kids are in aftercare until 5:30-6?

My kids were not yet school aged when COVID started so they were still in daycare/preschool. But even before COVID DH and I both teleworked multiple days per week so that at least one of us was home. Usually the commuting spouse would do morning drop off since they had to head out anyway and then the teleworking parent would do pickup so the kids didn’t have to be there past 5.

I think a lot of parents of school aged kids teleworked at least hybrid before COVID. It’s not like March 2020 marked the invention of WAH. For those who need longer hours, they use aftercare, but staffing has gotten harder in the childcare sector so spots are limited with long waitlists. Or maybe if you’re lucky you can find a martial arts type place that has a van to do school pickup and take them to do activities.

I also think a lot of the parents were just not in the workforce or were underemployed. I guess this administration thinks that is preferable to go back to.

My kids a now in extracurriculars starting as early as 4:30/5. To keep them in we’d have to take leave some days, use carpools, stagger hours, not really sure yet … thankfully my DH’s private sector job has been remote since 2018 and his colleagues are scattered across the country with no office to go to, so I guess he would have to take on more of the kid shuffling at home if I go back 5 days (holding out hope my agency’s CBA holds). I would try to jump ship out of government quickly though if forced to commute 5 days/week.

The schedule and juggling you describe is very normal. My husband is 5x/week and I am remote and do more juggling, but I can’t do it all while working during the day, so we have a nanny who helps after school with driving while I am working. Millions of people do this and it is not fun, but it is the norm.

Let me guess, either you don’t live in the DC area, or your husband is a high earner in the private sector. My husband and I are both feds and would not be able to afford a nanny to drive our two elementary aged kids to activities.

As others have mentioned camps alone offer garbage hours and after care to add on another $200 to a camp week that already costs $500 is cost prohibitive.

Our kids were 2 and 5 when Covid hit and we sucked it up and maintained our work performance and duties even though it felt impossible. We had no help. This feels like a real “f you” after we have been dedicated career civil servants over many years for different administrations.

We don’t have a problem with returning to the office, but, the extremism is the issue. Why strip people of flexibilities they had prior to Covid? Why suggest total eradication of telework? If we can even keep 1-2 days per week that will help most people feel like they can stay a little sane and manage all of their work/life balances and priorities.

Its tone deaf to act like this is a brand new and insurmountable problem. Many people are working in person for the last few years, many of them have kids, and many of them are not high earners.

Before and after care exists for a reason. If you cant flex your schedule you use it. And stop signing up for activities that start before 6pm.

By elementary school, every family I knew had a spouse who worked part time or SAH (or was a teacher). That’s what you have to do to avoid having kids in aftercare till 6 or to manage any after school activities.

Exactly. It’s what I did, and honestly I took a major career hit. And apparently a bunch of government employees never had to take this hit because they’re paid while they watch their kids. And now it’s ending.

We don’t watch our kids!!! They are in school and we pay for after care.

My fed office moved during Covid. It went from a 20 minute commute to what is now a 40 minute commute on a good day. I already do not full time telework.

But if I go in 5 days per week along with every other gov person my commute will likely be 1 hour plus.

We have no family locally. My spouse and I have always made it work.

But making our lives harder just for fun is stupid.

My spouse is a veteran as was my late father. We have spent our lives serving our country in various capacities. Riddle me this—is this admin, and its supporters are all pro family pro life, why is it against supporting actual families that exist?! That currently serve the American public??? Make it make sense!!

They are pro family with a working father and SAHM.

I truly hope it chaps their a$$ to know that I am a woman who will be leaving my federal govt job where I can get my kids off the bus and moving to biglaw where I’ll have to hire some stranger to watch my kids instead. I’ll make lots of money, though. Sorry MAGAs.

I truly love how every single Fed lawyer is convinced that they can seamlessly make the transition to BigLaw, and succeed.

Good Lord, they are saying private sector. They can go in-house. They can even do doc review or hang out a shingle, if their spouse has a high enough salary.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I didn't have school aged kids before telework so what did people do? Did people put their kids in before/aftercare/camps/school for 10 hours a day? How did people find time for extracurriculars if elementary kids are in aftercare until 5:30-6?

My kids were not yet school aged when COVID started so they were still in daycare/preschool. But even before COVID DH and I both teleworked multiple days per week so that at least one of us was home. Usually the commuting spouse would do morning drop off since they had to head out anyway and then the teleworking parent would do pickup so the kids didn’t have to be there past 5.

I think a lot of parents of school aged kids teleworked at least hybrid before COVID. It’s not like March 2020 marked the invention of WAH. For those who need longer hours, they use aftercare, but staffing has gotten harder in the childcare sector so spots are limited with long waitlists. Or maybe if you’re lucky you can find a martial arts type place that has a van to do school pickup and take them to do activities.

I also think a lot of the parents were just not in the workforce or were underemployed. I guess this administration thinks that is preferable to go back to.

My kids a now in extracurriculars starting as early as 4:30/5. To keep them in we’d have to take leave some days, use carpools, stagger hours, not really sure yet … thankfully my DH’s private sector job has been remote since 2018 and his colleagues are scattered across the country with no office to go to, so I guess he would have to take on more of the kid shuffling at home if I go back 5 days (holding out hope my agency’s CBA holds). I would try to jump ship out of government quickly though if forced to commute 5 days/week.

The schedule and juggling you describe is very normal. My husband is 5x/week and I am remote and do more juggling, but I can’t do it all while working during the day, so we have a nanny who helps after school with driving while I am working. Millions of people do this and it is not fun, but it is the norm.

Let me guess, either you don’t live in the DC area, or your husband is a high earner in the private sector. My husband and I are both feds and would not be able to afford a nanny to drive our two elementary aged kids to activities.

As others have mentioned camps alone offer garbage hours and after care to add on another $200 to a camp week that already costs $500 is cost prohibitive.

Our kids were 2 and 5 when Covid hit and we sucked it up and maintained our work performance and duties even though it felt impossible. We had no help. This feels like a real “f you” after we have been dedicated career civil servants over many years for different administrations.

We don’t have a problem with returning to the office, but, the extremism is the issue. Why strip people of flexibilities they had prior to Covid? Why suggest total eradication of telework? If we can even keep 1-2 days per week that will help most people feel like they can stay a little sane and manage all of their work/life balances and priorities.

Its tone deaf to act like this is a brand new and insurmountable problem. Many people are working in person for the last few years, many of them have kids, and many of them are not high earners.

Before and after care exists for a reason. If you cant flex your schedule you use it. And stop signing up for activities that start before 6pm.

By elementary school, every family I knew had a spouse who worked part time or SAH (or was a teacher). That’s what you have to do to avoid having kids in aftercare till 6 or to manage any after school activities.

Exactly. It’s what I did, and honestly I took a major career hit. And apparently a bunch of government employees never had to take this hit because they’re paid while they watch their kids. And now it’s ending.

We don’t watch our kids!!! They are in school and we pay for after care.

My fed office moved during Covid. It went from a 20 minute commute to what is now a 40 minute commute on a good day. I already do not full time telework.

But if I go in 5 days per week along with every other gov person my commute will likely be 1 hour plus.

We have no family locally. My spouse and I have always made it work.

But making our lives harder just for fun is stupid.

My spouse is a veteran as was my late father. We have spent our lives serving our country in various capacities. Riddle me this—is this admin, and its supporters are all pro family pro life, why is it against supporting actual families that exist?! That currently serve the American public??? Make it make sense!!

They are pro family with a working father and SAHM.

I truly hope it chaps their a$$ to know that I am a woman who will be leaving my federal govt job where I can get my kids off the bus and moving to biglaw where I’ll have to hire some stranger to watch my kids instead. I’ll make lots of money, though. Sorry MAGAs.

I truly love how every single Fed lawyer is convinced that they can seamlessly make the transition to BigLaw, and succeed.

Right. BigLaw to government is a lot more common than the reverse.