OPM Guidance on COVID-19

[Anonymous]

I have to ask what is weather and safety leave? FDA mandates telework for everyone even on bad weather dats.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I carefully saved my leave for years and took advanced sick leave so that I could have two children and take two paid maternity leaves. I finally got my sick leave balance back to zero, after having to use annual leave almost as fast as I accrued it for my children's daycare sicknesses. I think that Feds like me who have very young children should get a break if both schools and offices close, as we didn't benefit from the forthcoming paid parental leave program and are still in the hole leave-wise.

Loosening rules around telework, including telework with kids at home, is one thing. Creating broad additional leave for people with empty balances is another.

So we’ll just plop our toddlers in front of tv for a month so we can telework at home? It’s impossible to get anything done with my kids in the house let alone try to competently work. If forced, then I will “work at home” aka sign into WebTA, do some half assed work during nap time, and otherwise occasionally move my mouse around to make it look active. OPM has to realize this is what parents of young kids are going to do because no one is going to voluntarily take a month or more of leave over this.

Your kids don’t nap?

Np. Under normal regulations I can’t telework even when my kids are napping. My boss says kids under 8 and you can’t telework

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What would everyone who can't possible take any sick leave do if they were sick with something else? Wouldn't you have to take an advance, LWOP, vacation?

Yes. The hysteria here is just that.

I would have phrased it entitlement more than hysteria, but yes, +1.

This is a different sickness. When I have the flu I take off when I have a fever and then come back to work (2 days usually). Or I can telework.

With covid you’re contagious for weeks and sick for weeks. And because daycares will close, work won’t let me telework.

Majority of people do not have affects worse than the flu. And when you go back after two days with the flu...you are still contagious btw.

[Anonymous]

Just reading that makes me pretty angry. Why is the burden on me when I’m forced into teleworking because of an agency closure? Why shouldn’t they be grateful to me still working and be more flexible. There’s nothing in there about working late at night, weekends or other options to get my 40 hours in. And if I need a doctors note before my work will allow sick leave or telework, I may just as well come to work. Obviously no one cares about employees or they wouldn’t have sent out such an uncaring response from OPM. I plan on ripping up my telework agreement tomorrow so I can’t be forced to telework against my will.

[Anonymous]

So have we all decided to get all the Boomers sick so a percentage of them die so we can get Trump out of office.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I carefully saved my leave for years and took advanced sick leave so that I could have two children and take two paid maternity leaves. I finally got my sick leave balance back to zero, after having to use annual leave almost as fast as I accrued it for my children's daycare sicknesses. I think that Feds like me who have very young children should get a break if both schools and offices close, as we didn't benefit from the forthcoming paid parental leave program and are still in the hole leave-wise.

Loosening rules around telework, including telework with kids at home, is one thing. Creating broad additional leave for people with empty balances is another.

So we’ll just plop our toddlers in front of tv for a month so we can telework at home? It’s impossible to get anything done with my kids in the house let alone try to competently work. If forced, then I will “work at home” aka sign into WebTA, do some half assed work during nap time, and otherwise occasionally move my mouse around to make it look active. OPM has to realize this is what parents of young kids are going to do because no one is going to voluntarily take a month or more of leave over this.

Your kids don’t nap?

DP. I have a 1yo and 4yo. The 4yo naps around 50% of the time these days. I could have them watch tv while the younger one naps to get ~2hrs in. Our agency is very strict about work hours (only from 6am-6pm) so unless they loosened that it’s not like logging back in at night is a realistic option.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What would everyone who can't possible take any sick leave do if they were sick with something else? Wouldn't you have to take an advance, LWOP, vacation?

Yes. The hysteria here is just that.

I would have phrased it entitlement more than hysteria, but yes, +1.

This is a different sickness. When I have the flu I take off when I have a fever and then come back to work (2 days usually). Or I can telework.

With covid you’re contagious for weeks and sick for weeks. And because daycares will close, work won’t let me telework.

Majority of people do not have affects worse than the flu. And when you go back after two days with the flu...you are still contagious btw.

If you’re better in two days from the “flu” you probably didn’t have the flu.

Using sick days for when you are sick makes total sense to be. It gets sticky when you’re asking people to quarantine after they are no longer symptomatic (or were never symptomatic at all). You really think people are going to burn through their personal leave for the good of society? Dream on. You either give them incentive to stay home or accept that they will be back out there once they feel better. It is what it is.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I carefully saved my leave for years and took advanced sick leave so that I could have two children and take two paid maternity leaves. I finally got my sick leave balance back to zero, after having to use annual leave almost as fast as I accrued it for my children's daycare sicknesses. I think that Feds like me who have very young children should get a break if both schools and offices close, as we didn't benefit from the forthcoming paid parental leave program and are still in the hole leave-wise.

Loosening rules around telework, including telework with kids at home, is one thing. Creating broad additional leave for people with empty balances is another.

So we’ll just plop our toddlers in front of tv for a month so we can telework at home? It’s impossible to get anything done with my kids in the house let alone try to competently work. If forced, then I will “work at home” aka sign into WebTA, do some half assed work during nap time, and otherwise occasionally move my mouse around to make it look active. OPM has to realize this is what parents of young kids are going to do because no one is going to voluntarily take a month or more of leave over this.

Yes, you may just have to let your toddler watch more tv than you would normally. Oh, the terrible sacrifice. You may have to work when they go to bed. There are other things that you may have to do that you wouldn’t ordinarily, but the proper answer isn’t to say you just get paid time off without requiring a little extra effort on your end.

My agency doesn’t allow work after 6pm. And I’m pretty sure watching kids from sun up to sun down then working for 8 hours for weeks on end = recipe for a mental breakdown.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Just reading that makes me pretty angry. Why is the burden on me when I’m forced into teleworking because of an agency closure? Why shouldn’t they be grateful to me still working and be more flexible. There’s nothing in there about working late at night, weekends or other options to get my 40 hours in. And if I need a doctors note before my work will allow sick leave or telework, I may just as well come to work. Obviously no one cares about employees or they wouldn’t have sent out such an uncaring response from OPM. I plan on ripping up my telework agreement tomorrow so I can’t be forced to telework against my will.

So you don’t intend to work nights, weekend etc to make your hours, and you are complaining about their lack of flexibility?

Both sides need to be flexible. That doesn’t mean you get to simply take paid time off.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Just reading that makes me pretty angry. Why is the burden on me when I’m forced into teleworking because of an agency closure? Why shouldn’t they be grateful to me still working and be more flexible. There’s nothing in there about working late at night, weekends or other options to get my 40 hours in. And if I need a doctors note before my work will allow sick leave or telework, I may just as well come to work. Obviously no one cares about employees or they wouldn’t have sent out such an uncaring response from OPM. I plan on ripping up my telework agreement tomorrow so I can’t be forced to telework against my will.

If the government closes and says anyone in a job that can telework must telework, what good does destroying your agreement do? Requiring telework for those that can is likely to happen whether you have an agreement or not. And if it really comes to that, then everyone will be home with kids working when they can. Including the private sector.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:So have we all decided to get all the Boomers sick so a percentage of them die so we can get Trump out of office.

that's my plan because they hate telework anyway.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I carefully saved my leave for years and took advanced sick leave so that I could have two children and take two paid maternity leaves. I finally got my sick leave balance back to zero, after having to use annual leave almost as fast as I accrued it for my children's daycare sicknesses. I think that Feds like me who have very young children should get a break if both schools and offices close, as we didn't benefit from the forthcoming paid parental leave program and are still in the hole leave-wise.

Loosening rules around telework, including telework with kids at home, is one thing. Creating broad additional leave for people with empty balances is another.

So we’ll just plop our toddlers in front of tv for a month so we can telework at home? It’s impossible to get anything done with my kids in the house let alone try to competently work. If forced, then I will “work at home” aka sign into WebTA, do some half assed work during nap time, and otherwise occasionally move my mouse around to make it look active. OPM has to realize this is what parents of young kids are going to do because no one is going to voluntarily take a month or more of leave over this.

Yes, you may just have to let your toddler watch more tv than you would normally. Oh, the terrible sacrifice. You may have to work when they go to bed. There are other things that you may have to do that you wouldn’t ordinarily, but the proper answer isn’t to say you just get paid time off without requiring a little extra effort on your end.

My agency doesn’t allow work after 6pm. And I’m pretty sure watching kids from sun up to sun down then working for 8 hours for weeks on end = recipe for a mental breakdown.

Your agency should change those rules under the circumstances.

As for the rest, put on your big girl panties and deal. You should be able to get some work done while kids nap or are otherwise entertained. You can trade shifts with a neighbor watching kids. If schools are closed, you can cheaply find a mother’s helper. You may not make your full 40, but you should be able to get a lot in if you are willing.

Sure, it is easier to say whoa is me and shouldn’t a get paid without making any extra effort or sacrifice, but it’s that level of entitlement that makes people pissed at Feds.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have to ask what is weather and safety leave? FDA mandates telework for everyone even on bad weather dats.

I’m the PP who mentioned it. My agency can’t telework, so we have it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So I have carefully saved my leave and my coworker constantly uses it for all kinds of things. She now gets free leave for claiming Corona and I spend my leave. Advancing leave is fine but just giving it out seems a bit out of control.

What free leave? I’m also not sure what you are implying- is your coworker using sick leave improperly, i.e. for reasons other than illness or doctors appointments?

Worker 1 takes full days of for a 20 minute dental appointment, mental health days, etc. Worker 2 schedules appointments on her off days and only uses sick leave for illnesses. Worker one is nowpaid to stay home because she is now actually sick but has no leave. Worker 2 is using the sick she carefully saved. Now I realize there are people who just started or are recovering from a major illness that have legitimate reasons for not having leave...but many people do not save it for an actual sickness.

+1. People use leave extremely liberally and then bitch and moan they are all out. I’m careful about saving my leave for times when I really need it and I therefore have hundreds of hours saved after only five years of service. I shouldn’t be punished for being prudent.

You would rather a person who was not prudent with his leave come to work sick and give you the virus than for that person to be given more leave?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What would everyone who can't possible take any sick leave do if they were sick with something else? Wouldn't you have to take an advance, LWOP, vacation?

Yes. The hysteria here is just that.

I would have phrased it entitlement more than hysteria, but yes, +1.

This is a different sickness. When I have the flu I take off when I have a fever and then come back to work (2 days usually). Or I can telework.

With covid you’re contagious for weeks and sick for weeks. And because daycares will close, work won’t let me telework.

Majority of people do not have affects worse than the flu. And when you go back after two days with the flu...you are still contagious btw.

If you’re better in two days from the “flu” you probably didn’t have the flu.

Using sick days for when you are sick makes total sense to be. It gets sticky when you’re asking people to quarantine after they are no longer symptomatic (or were never symptomatic at all). You really think people are going to burn through their personal leave for the good of society? Dream on. You either give them incentive to stay home or accept that they will be back out there once they feel better. It is what it is.

This is a fairly ignorant response. People who get the flu after having the flu shot (yes, including me) generally have much shortened “sick” periods. The last time I had the flu was a few years ago. I tested positive. I had a fever for about a day, and after that get better. Vaccines work y’all.