New OPM memo on RTO

[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.

How will they know?

[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.

Same. I live about 15 min away. I will be working earlier hours to leave early and won’t be doing any work at home after. 4pm rolls around I’m out. I’ll also be planning out more leave-taking some Fridays here and there which I never do now but will needs these days to reset. Glad I have my 8hrs PP to help with this.

[Anonymous]

Enough with the daycare talk. Are folks going to move to their home based agencies?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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.

Same. I live about 15 min away. I will be working earlier hours to leave early and won’t be doing any work at home after. 4pm rolls around I’m out. I’ll also be planning out more leave-taking some Fridays here and there which I never do now but will needs these days to reset. Glad I have my 8hrs PP to help with this.

This is why I want to go back! So much less stress. I can leave my laptop and my home is work free.

[Anonymous]

people are acting as if before Covid they were not going to the office five days a week and made it work.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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.

Exactly.

[Anonymous]

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

I'm a fed lawyer who fled from BigLaw and know that I don't have what it takes to succeed in the private sector -- mostly the desire or ability to generate business, but also the willingness to be constantly on and available to clients and to deal with BS. I work hard and really want to keep my federal job. Right now, telework is the least of the issues. I truly believe Vought when he says their goal is to make sure that feds are traumatized every single day when they go to work.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:people are acting as if before Covid they were not going to the office five days a week and made it work.

We were but we also had flexibility then.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:people are acting as if before Covid they were not going to the office five days a week and made it work.

We weren’t. We had 2 days a week telework. Comer’s House bill would have just restored us to that situation, so this is worse than that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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.

Same. I live about 15 min away. I will be working earlier hours to leave early and won’t be doing any work at home after. 4pm rolls around I’m out. I’ll also be planning out more leave-taking some Fridays here and there which I never do now but will needs these days to reset. Glad I have my 8hrs PP to help with this.

Me too.

My agency didn’t have enough parking before COVID when we all went in two days a week. There definitely won’t be room now. I’ll be getting to work in time to leave before 3:30. Sorry, no meetings for me after that! And probably none before 11 am because rest of the office will be circling the garage trying to find a space.

[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.

This. Same experience. I find it bizarre that it’s now acceptable to work from 9:30 AM - 4 PM. Sometimes I even leave at 3.

Fed here. We just can’t do that. The #1 way to fire a Fed is timesheet fraud. It’s so easy if you prove it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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?

Honestly? Because I spent the last five years in a very stressful job, with an unpredictable schedule, working 60+ hours a week. I recently took a "mommy track" role that involved telework two days a week and I was really hoping to being more present for my two little kids (who are in daycare full time, before you ask). I feel like I'm letting them down.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:people are acting as if before Covid they were not going to the office five days a week and made it work.

Agree. When my kids were young, it was daycare, then before and after care once they were school aged. It annoys me all of these people that have been abusing telework to avoid paying for daycare or before/after care.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:people are acting as if before Covid they were not going to the office five days a week and made it work.

We weren’t. We had 2 days a week telework. Comer’s House bill would have just restored us to that situation, so this is worse than that.

Maybe if Congress (to include the Republicans) gets annoyed that they can't reach a single soul after 5:00 pm anymore they will pass some common sense bilateral telework requirements to address.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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?

Honestly? Because I spent the last five years in a very stressful job, with an unpredictable schedule, working 60+ hours a week. I recently took a "mommy track" role that involved telework two days a week and I was really hoping to being more present for my two little kids (who are in daycare full time, before you ask). I feel like I'm letting them down.

But how are you different from any other Mom? It sounds like you have a good gig, but it may be changing. DOJ doesn’t owe you the life of your dreams. You seem entitled.