Snow day, telework, and kids at home - why no policy yet?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Why do you want an official policy? Just "work" as best you can. No way would I officially take leave on a day like this.

Same don't look a gift horse in the mouth.

Most people juggle, do some work, play with kids in snow, it's less than 8 hrs of work but employers including fedgov will live.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Kindergarten and up age kids don't really need that close of supervision.

This is where I land. I work for myself so it's not an issue for me anyway, but I was home with my 1st grader today and I spent more time shoveling the sidewalk than entertaining her. We went sledding around lunchtime but otherwise she played on her own, listened to a podcast, and did my hair while I paid invoices. I had a super productive day.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You take leave/vacation like every single other person on the planet.

Wrong. Most employers that close offices down don’t charge leave if schools are closed etc. you do your best that day.

This is absolutely not true. I'm on company #5 in this region and at every one, if I am not working, I have to take leave. You are delusional.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Kindergarten and up age kids don't really need that close of supervision.

NP here. You are so wrong!

Those of you agreeing with this poster, I’m just curious what sort of trouble your elementary aged school kids would get into without close supervision? I couldn’t do a 2 hour zoom call without interruption, but there definitely wouldn’t be any disasters brewing most days, so long as I let them watch TV, that is.

I have a second grader and a fourth grader. They played together all day and watched a movie during the 1.5 hour stretch that DH and I were both in meetings at the same time. At every other point in the day, we told them we were available if they needed us, but they actually only needed us when they were hungry or when they needed help with getting snow gear on/off. They did great today. They definitely have off days where they don't get along and need more of our attention, but today was not one of them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:26 minute drive Reston to Potomac just now and left at 510 pm.

Lots of lazy bones. 95 dead empty crosses American Legion Bridge at 70 mph

How am I supposed to go to work when my kids are not at school? Idiot.

[Anonymous]

I am so damn sick of federal workers expecting to have everything handed to them along with being paid a shit ton of money that they don’t deserve so they can stay home with their kids. Do you realize your privilege? It’s disgusting. You’re all a bunch of lazy idiots.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Kindergarten and up age kids don't really need that close of supervision.

Phew! My kids are low key and at 10 and 7 the meal demands are killing me. You're right though - in general it isn't bad.

[Anonymous]

Your kids, your problem.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Kindergarten and up age kids don't really need that close of supervision.

NP here. You are so wrong!

Those of you agreeing with this poster, I’m just curious what sort of trouble your elementary aged school kids would get into without close supervision? I couldn’t do a 2 hour zoom call without interruption, but there definitely wouldn’t be any disasters brewing most days, so long as I let them watch TV, that is.

I have a second grader and a fourth grader. They played together all day and watched a movie during the 1.5 hour stretch that DH and I were both in meetings at the same time. At every other point in the day, we told them we were available if they needed us, but they actually only needed us when they were hungry or when they needed help with getting snow gear on/off. They did great today. They definitely have off days where they don't get along and need more of our attention, but today was not one of them.

Some kids have special needs. Your kids honestly sound like a dream; what you just described would be a 1-in-10000 day for our family. Believe me when I say that none of you would want to trade spots with us.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Kindergarten and up age kids don't really need that close of supervision.

NP here. You are so wrong!

Those of you agreeing with this poster, I’m just curious what sort of trouble your elementary aged school kids would get into without close supervision? I couldn’t do a 2 hour zoom call without interruption, but there definitely wouldn’t be any disasters brewing most days, so long as I let them watch TV, that is.

I have a second grader and a fourth grader. They played together all day and watched a movie during the 1.5 hour stretch that DH and I were both in meetings at the same time. At every other point in the day, we told them we were available if they needed us, but they actually only needed us when they were hungry or when they needed help with getting snow gear on/off. They did great today. They definitely have off days where they don't get along and need more of our attention, but today was not one of them.

Some kids have special needs. Your kids honestly sound like a dream; what you just described would be a 1-in-10000 day for our family. Believe me when I say that none of you would want to trade spots with us.

I also had challenging times with my boys when they were little, if I needed to supervise my kids on a snow ⛄️ or a 😷 sock day I took leave and I was grateful for the flexibility of being able to either work from home or take unscheduled leave. And I had my kids way before paid parental leave and I took plenty of LWOP when they were little and sick. I don’t know why anyone would be so entitled that they would think that they would be paid just because they had family responsibilities on a snow day.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It seems that there is no real policy in the federal government about how to handle this. Same thing at my spouse’s private sector company.

With the withspread adoption of hybrid telework, there is now an expectation that you work during snow days. However, with schools + daycares closed that means kids are home.

Why hasn’t the federal government clarified how to handle this? It seems that the “fairest” thing would be to allow people to dip into either annual or sick leave to care for their kids in the instance when a school district has closed their facilities.

Before COVID, a snow day was a snow day. Now? It’s a work from home day with the kids.

Is the work getting done? If so, MYOFB. If it's not, supervisors address it with the individual. And some agencies DO have policies, fwiw.

At my agency, we have a robust TW program and did before Covid. It is understood on these days that you can take leave if the kids are an issue. But we also allow a very flexible schedule to work before they wake, during naps, lated in the day . . . whatever. But you need to tell your supervisor your schedule and then be available. Mercifully, they don't engage in the rigid 9-5 schedules and micromanaging of lots of other places. And we measure the productivity a million different ways. So, while Im sure there are cheats, I do believe (and my experience in terms of responsiveness) is that people are working.

But, really this comes down to managing your employees. And if you're not managing anyone, and just here to complain, you need to mind your business.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am so damn sick of federal workers expecting to have everything handed to them along with being paid a shit ton of money that they don’t deserve so they can stay home with their kids. Do you realize your privilege? It’s disgusting. You’re all a bunch of lazy idiots.

Sh-- ton of money? Ok, Karen.

And nothing is "handed to me", I earned what I have. And I have excellent worklife balance, choosing my agency for this very reason.

I'm sorry that you don't have anything good in your life, that you have to come on here being so nasty and jealous. That's a YOU problem, though.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Our office says lists power outage and child care as examples of extenuating circumstances to receive paid time off.

Yup. You have to be ~able~ to telework.

Which is why unscheduled leave is approved.

It’s why admin leave is approved.

This. School closure is a reason. It applies to a huge portion of the workforce. It has to be approved but is perfectly appropriate in the random snow days we have here.

I'm not saying it is wrong, but it is not required. It is like the few hours of admin before a holiday...nice perk, but shouldn't be expected or required as necessary.

And since it is a perk, it DOES become inequitable when given only to those with children. It makes absolutely no sense that I should get admin leave because I have two tweens but my coworker doesn't.

Life isn't fair.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:26 minute drive Reston to Potomac just now and left at 510 pm.

Lots of lazy bones. 95 dead empty crosses American Legion Bridge at 70 mph

How am I supposed to go to work when my kids are not at school? Idiot.

If 99 percent of companies according to DCUM were off today or remote your spouse can do it. My wife was home.

My older daughter still off college jumped on care.com and made $20 an hour for someone who actually cares about their job.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It seems that there is no real policy in the federal government about how to handle this. Same thing at my spouse’s private sector company.

With the withspread adoption of hybrid telework, there is now an expectation that you work during snow days. However, with schools + daycares closed that means kids are home.

Why hasn’t the federal government clarified how to handle this? It seems that the “fairest” thing would be to allow people to dip into either annual or sick leave to care for their kids in the instance when a school district has closed their facilities.

Before COVID, a snow day was a snow day. Now? It’s a work from home day with the kids.

Unscheduled leave is an option. But if you can, just "work" and get by. I actually like to take the day off as much as I can I have a ton of leave and snow days are rare but I know that I am fortunate to have the leave.