New OPM memo on RTO

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Email came out from our Agency -- noted that they intended to fully comply but will discuss with peer agencies and fulfill collective bargaining obligations in revising the telework policies.

I don't wish to be in my agency leadership's shoes now. I'll gladly take the 2 days/PP TW that we used to have before COVID. Most of us are back 4-6 days/PP anyway and adding a couple of days is not a problem. The pointless pinprick requests for situational TW will drive my poor supervisor mad.

Didn't you see the followup OPM did on situational telework? There will not be requests to your manager. Besides, it's your manager AND agency head who have to approve situational telework. https://content.govdelivery.com/accounts/USOPM/bulletins/3ce821e

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:“Telework can be provided for weather-related emergencies, office closures, and other situations where telework serves a compelling agency need.”

So we do have to bring laptops home everyday? Worst of all worlds.

I have a desktop in the office and a laptop for TW. Did you always work on a laptop?

Lots of places only give you a laptop and docking station at the office.

Usually you just bring your laptop home if there is a chance of inclement weather. That’s what I did when I was in a similar work situation about a decade ago.

Since I do not have a desk, I will not have anyplace to store anything...this I will probably use a roller bag for everything from my laptop to my coffee cup, sweater etc.

NP you'll have a rolling "locker". That's what all of our hotelling spots have. It's a small filing cabinet thing that goes under desks and doubles as another chair.

I've seen these carts at other agencies but mine doesn't have any, and we don't have any money. I don't think people outside the government understand the inflexible lack of spending money. Even if you have spare change (say, from FTE leaving) you can't just buy furniture with it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:“Telework can be provided for weather-related emergencies, office closures, and other situations where telework serves a compelling agency need.”

So we do have to bring laptops home everyday? Worst of all worlds.

I have a desktop in the office and a laptop for TW. Did you always work on a laptop?

Lots of places only give you a laptop and docking station at the office.

Usually you just bring your laptop home if there is a chance of inclement weather. That’s what I did when I was in a similar work situation about a decade ago.

Since I do not have a desk, I will not have anyplace to store anything...this I will probably use a roller bag for everything from my laptop to my coffee cup, sweater etc.

NP you'll have a rolling "locker". That's what all of our hotelling spots have. It's a small filing cabinet thing that goes under desks and doubles as another chair.

I've seen these carts at other agencies but mine doesn't have any, and we don't have any money. I don't think people outside the government understand the inflexible lack of spending money. Even if you have spare change (say, from FTE leaving) you can't just buy furniture with it.

Maybe it will come from the DOGE budget......

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I work in a child care center and our phone is ringing off the hook today.

This makes me want to cry.

Many of us are planning on working 6-2:30 or 7-3:30 so we can spend more time with our kids. Typically my work would hate that (I work with California) but I dgaf.

DH drops the kids off in the morning and I'll get off work earlier to get them.

How do you think the rest of us raised our children? This is why so many of us non-Feds just can't get on board with all this upset. 100% teleoworkforce was never ever the goal. It was temporary and I can't understand how so many people didn't understand that.

My non-Fed father was teleworking full time back in 2010. Sorry that you’re ignorant of anything before 2020.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Ours sent out a very simple one paragraph.

which said?

must report in person mid February. All staff - exemptions may be requested and has to be approved by upper management.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Email came out from our Agency -- noted that they intended to fully comply but will discuss with peer agencies and fulfill collective bargaining obligations in revising the telework policies.

I don't wish to be in my agency leadership's shoes now. I'll gladly take the 2 days/PP TW that we used to have before COVID. Most of us are back 4-6 days/PP anyway and adding a couple of days is not a problem. The pointless pinprick requests for situational TW will drive my poor supervisor mad.

Didn't you see the followup OPM did on situational telework? There will not be requests to your manager. Besides, it's your manager AND agency head who have to approve situational telework. https://content.govdelivery.com/accounts/USOPM/bulletins/3ce821e

I did and it makes no sense. Agency heads are ridiculously busy (mine is out of DC/US half the time). How will they certify a measly request for a 1 hour telework so I can attend a 10 AM meeting downtown if they are in Singapore that day? Ridiculous. Unless they mean recurring telework (which apparently won't exist)....

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:“Telework can be provided for weather-related emergencies, office closures, and other situations where telework serves a compelling agency need.”

So we do have to bring laptops home everyday? Worst of all worlds.

I have a desktop in the office and a laptop for TW. Did you always work on a laptop?

Lots of places only give you a laptop and docking station at the office.

Usually you just bring your laptop home if there is a chance of inclement weather. That’s what I did when I was in a similar work situation about a decade ago.

Since I do not have a desk, I will not have anyplace to store anything...this I will probably use a roller bag for everything from my laptop to my coffee cup, sweater etc.

NP you'll have a rolling "locker". That's what all of our hotelling spots have. It's a small filing cabinet thing that goes under desks and doubles as another chair.

I've seen these carts at other agencies but mine doesn't have any, and we don't have any money. I don't think people outside the government understand the inflexible lack of spending money. Even if you have spare change (say, from FTE leaving) you can't just buy furniture with it.

Then get a laptop lock and chain it to a desk. I do understand cheap fed agencies...we bought our own headsets and mouses even though they're required to work.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The head of my department just asked us all to submit updated telework agreements that will nominally be valid for the next 2 years. Either they are trying to get themselves fired or all of us fired.

Or they are only going to approve situational so they can make you work on snow days

Received something similar and now I’m even more confused about what’s going to happen

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Email came out from our Agency -- noted that they intended to fully comply but will discuss with peer agencies and fulfill collective bargaining obligations in revising the telework policies.

I don't wish to be in my agency leadership's shoes now. I'll gladly take the 2 days/PP TW that we used to have before COVID. Most of us are back 4-6 days/PP anyway and adding a couple of days is not a problem. The pointless pinprick requests for situational TW will drive my poor supervisor mad.

Didn't you see the followup OPM did on situational telework? There will not be requests to your manager. Besides, it's your manager AND agency head who have to approve situational telework. https://content.govdelivery.com/accounts/USOPM/bulletins/3ce821e

I did and it makes no sense. Agency heads are ridiculously busy (mine is out of DC/US half the time). How will they certify a measly request for a 1 hour telework so I can attend a 10 AM meeting downtown if they are in Singapore that day? Ridiculous. Unless they mean recurring telework (which apparently won't exist)....

Yeah it didn't make sense to me. There are A LOT of disabled veterans in the federal workforce who have frequent appointments and telework before or after. I also don't want to get sick from sick coworkers. I love it when sick coworkers stay at home.

[Anonymous]

What about bargaining unit agreement?

[Anonymous]

This move will definitely affect productivity. I’m pretty sure out of 10 of us 3 would probably retire. They possess a wealth of business knowledge and there are no. It’s going to be interesting, instead of progressing we’re regressing 🤣🤣

[Anonymous]

No backfill

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Email came out from our Agency -- noted that they intended to fully comply but will discuss with peer agencies and fulfill collective bargaining obligations in revising the telework policies.

I don't wish to be in my agency leadership's shoes now. I'll gladly take the 2 days/PP TW that we used to have before COVID. Most of us are back 4-6 days/PP anyway and adding a couple of days is not a problem. The pointless pinprick requests for situational TW will drive my poor supervisor mad.

Didn't you see the followup OPM did on situational telework? There will not be requests to your manager. Besides, it's your manager AND agency head who have to approve situational telework. https://content.govdelivery.com/accounts/USOPM/bulletins/3ce821e

I did and it makes no sense. Agency heads are ridiculously busy (mine is out of DC/US half the time). How will they certify a measly request for a 1 hour telework so I can attend a 10 AM meeting downtown if they are in Singapore that day? Ridiculous. Unless they mean recurring telework (which apparently won't exist)....

Yeah it didn't make sense to me. There are A LOT of disabled veterans in the federal workforce who have frequent appointments and telework before or after. I also don't want to get sick from sick coworkers. I love it when sick coworkers stay at home.

EVERYONE'S circumstances are important,.not just veterans, not just moms.

Identity politics has done a number on our country, now we are seeing that being in a special or popular ground doesn't shield us from bad leadership in the country.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:“Telework can be provided for weather-related emergencies, office closures, and other situations where telework serves a compelling agency need.”

So we do have to bring laptops home everyday? Worst of all worlds.

I have a desktop in the office and a laptop for TW. Did you always work on a laptop?

Lots of places only give you a laptop and docking station at the office.

Usually you just bring your laptop home if there is a chance of inclement weather. That’s what I did when I was in a similar work situation about a decade ago.

Since I do not have a desk, I will not have anyplace to store anything...this I will probably use a roller bag for everything from my laptop to my coffee cup, sweater etc.

NP you'll have a rolling "locker". That's what all of our hotelling spots have. It's a small filing cabinet thing that goes under desks and doubles as another chair.

I've seen these carts at other agencies but mine doesn't have any, and we don't have any money. I don't think people outside the government understand the inflexible lack of spending money. Even if you have spare change (say, from FTE leaving) you can't just buy furniture with it.

Then get a laptop lock and chain it to a desk. I do understand cheap fed agencies...we bought our own headsets and mouses even though they're required to work.

Good plan. If they are going to require me to carry heavy government equipment back and forth, they need to pay me for that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Email came out from our Agency -- noted that they intended to fully comply but will discuss with peer agencies and fulfill collective bargaining obligations in revising the telework policies.

I don't wish to be in my agency leadership's shoes now. I'll gladly take the 2 days/PP TW that we used to have before COVID. Most of us are back 4-6 days/PP anyway and adding a couple of days is not a problem. The pointless pinprick requests for situational TW will drive my poor supervisor mad.

Didn't you see the followup OPM did on situational telework? There will not be requests to your manager. Besides, it's your manager AND agency head who have to approve situational telework. https://content.govdelivery.com/accounts/USOPM/bulletins/3ce821e

Here’s the one we got toda, first sentence of second paragraph was in bold

“
Dear employees,

Per the above Presidential Memorandum issued by President Trump this week and direction from OPM, USDA is developing a comprehensive implementation plan to return employees to traditional in-person workspaces and reduce the Department's dependence on telework and remote work over the next thirty days. Attached is USDA's new policy to implement this memorandum.

Employees previously scheduled for remote work and telework ARE NOT expected to report to a USDA office Monday, January 27, 2025. USDA department and agency leadership will inform staff of expectations for a phased return to work as office space is identified and telework and remote work policies are updated across the Department. As these policies are revised, consideration will be given to all applicable reasonable accommodation laws, workspace availability, and labor agreements.
“