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

[Anonymous]

Oh hush about inequity. Parents with young kids are struggling enough.

Having children is a choice.

Working for the government is a choice. If you don't like the terms of the job, then feel free to find another one.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:our policies at my federal office is clear, you are expected to telework today for 8 hours. If you are unable to do that due to child care responsibilities you are required to take annual leave. This doesn't seem complicated.

+2

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:our policies at my federal office is clear, you are expected to telework today for 8 hours. If you are unable to do that due to child care responsibilities you are required to take annual leave. This doesn't seem complicated.

+2

Agree, this is my agency, too. It's very simple.

If you need to take leave but don't have any, you can take advance leave.

If your job is not telework eligible at all, and the govt is closed, then you don't get charged leave.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Oh hush about inequity. Parents with young kids are struggling enough.

Having children is a choice.

Working for the government is a choice. If you don't like the terms of the job, then feel free to find another one.

Ok tough guy. Feel free to find another job when all of your employees quit and senior leaders figure out why.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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.

Bloated federal contractor says he “works”

[Anonymous]

OP, I’m not sure how you have missed the policy. As others have stated, it is clear and established. Please read the document linked below so that you will know it going forward.


https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/pay-leave/reference-materials/handbooks/dcdismissal.pdf

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Oh hush about inequity. Parents with young kids are struggling enough. Jesus.

I have a teen I don’t need to watch and would not begrudge a colleague with young kids the day off. I needed that when I was younger and was in the hole with leave.

Brava.

We need some sort of childcare leave that applies to parents of children in elementary school or younger in cases where schools or childcare facilities are closed in their location.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Oh hush about inequity. Parents with young kids are struggling enough. Jesus.

I have a teen I don’t need to watch and would not begrudge a colleague with young kids the day off. I needed that when I was younger and was in the hole with leave.

Brava.

We need some sort of childcare leave that applies to parents of children in elementary school or younger in cases where schools or childcare facilities are closed in their location.

Agree. Plus this would put pressure on schools not to close unnecessarily.

Which is probably why it isn’t getting done.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Oh hush about inequity. Parents with young kids are struggling enough. Jesus.

I have a teen I don’t need to watch and would not begrudge a colleague with young kids the day off. I needed that when I was younger and was in the hole with leave.

Brava.

We need some sort of childcare leave that applies to parents of children in elementary school or younger in cases where schools or childcare facilities are closed in their location.

Agree. Plus this would put pressure on schools not to close unnecessarily.

Which is probably why it isn’t getting done.

All the kids still home from college and kids off HS today. Literally millions of people around to watch your kid today. Open your purse honey

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Oh hush about inequity. Parents with young kids are struggling enough. Jesus.

I have a teen I don’t need to watch and would not begrudge a colleague with young kids the day off. I needed that when I was younger and was in the hole with leave.

Brava.

We need some sort of childcare leave that applies to parents of children in elementary school or younger in cases where schools or childcare facilities are closed in their location.

Agree. Plus this would put pressure on schools not to close unnecessarily.

Which is probably why it isn’t getting done.

All the kids still home from college and kids off HS today. Literally millions of people around to watch your kid today. Open your purse honey

What are you talking about? Babysitters? Great. Not enough of them available on a few hours notice in case you had no clue, which is obvious.

Most parents with young kids trade off supervising, put kids in front of the tube, letting other parents watch for a bit etc. when schools are closed. It’s a patchwork, and as a manager I’m not watching that closely. I don’t want to know!

Seriously, just be reasonably available and meet your deadlines. I don’t care.

[Anonymous]

I found an example in an OPM Dismissal and Closure Procedure document from 2022:
"Example: Stacey is a Federal employee who is a remote worker. She also has a 7-year-old son who lives in her home. A major snowstorm causes her son’s school to close for the day. Stacey’s agency permits employees under limited circumstances to work when children are in the home. However, employees may only count those hours during which actual agency work is performed. Any time Stacey spends providing care to her son may not be counted as hours of work. Stacey finds she can work during the morning for 5 hours but needs to take leave in the afternoon to care for her son. Stacey may not be granted weather and safety leave and must take 3 hours of paid or unpaid leave or other paid time off."

https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/pay-leave/reference-materials/handbooks/dcdismissal.pdf

[Anonymous]

When I started as a fed 30 years ago..you could not even take sick leave if your child was sick, it had to be vacation.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:When I started as a fed 30 years ago..you could not even take sick leave if your child was sick, it had to be vacation.

And you didn’t have email. So.

Things change.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Oh hush about inequity. Parents with young kids are struggling enough.

Having children is a choice.

Working for the government is a choice. If you don't like the terms of the job, then feel free to find another one.

Ok tough guy. Feel free to find another job when all of your employees quit and senior leaders figure out why.

They don't quit, if they did, it would be a lot easier to get a federal job.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Oh hush about inequity. Parents with young kids are struggling enough. Jesus.

I have a teen I don’t need to watch and would not begrudge a colleague with young kids the day off. I needed that when I was younger and was in the hole with leave.

Brava.

We need some sort of childcare leave that applies to parents of children in elementary school or younger in cases where schools or childcare facilities are closed in their location.

Do we really? I had two maternity leaves with Fed govt I had to pay for out of sick and annual leave. Parents of currently really young kids had that paid for. Spare me the drama. Deal with it. Take a day of leave.