New OPM memo on RTO

[Anonymous]

We live in the age of advanced technology where remote work allows workers to be very effective and productive. There is also teleconferencing for collaborative meetings which was already being done at the office. A worker can periodically go into the office when deemed necessary. We also live in more stressful times with less quality of life. Going to an office 5 days a week isn’t helping our families the environment nor mental health.

[Anonymous]

I missed if it was posted already, but HHS Memo yesterday evening said full time RTO for supervisors within 50 miles of agency worksite by 2/24, and non supervisory, non bargaining unit employees by 4/28. Those outside 50 miles remain untouched… for now.

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:Summer is going to be really tough for parents with zero telework flexibility. For just one example preteens/teenagers. One cannot so easily just sign them up for 8-6 summer camps for the entire summer anymore. They have activities that some weeks end at 12-4 pm etc. We the past few years got really used to having some scheduling flexibility that could be maximized during the summer months. I am not quite ready to have them be full-on latchkey kids 5 days a week.

My kids did camp all summer when I was working before the pandemic in a government position without telework.

DP. I'm not sure those exist anymore. I booked extended day camps for my kids last summer every week because I didn't know which days would be in person months ahead of time, and it was really hard to find something. Harder than I would have thought. Almost everything was 8 or 9 until 3 or 4 for full day option.

Yes this is my problem too. “Camp” runs 9-4. Daycare is until 6:30 and my kids are 9! They’re too old to go to daycare camps. Dh and I can switch off who picks up but he’s a fed who travels often.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It would be a shame if people starting telling the WaPo about Trump political appointees who aren’t following their own RTO policies.

How would we know??? We don’t have any yet. He’s decimating us when we have no leadership. Our Secretaries were getting voted on last week.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Summer is going to be really tough for parents with zero telework flexibility. For just one example preteens/teenagers. One cannot so easily just sign them up for 8-6 summer camps for the entire summer anymore. They have activities that some weeks end at 12-4 pm etc. We the past few years got really used to having some scheduling flexibility that could be maximized during the summer months. I am not quite ready to have them be full-on latchkey kids 5 days a week.

My kids did camp all summer when I was working before the pandemic in a government position without telework.

DP. I'm not sure those exist anymore. I booked extended day camps for my kids last summer every week because I didn't know which days would be in person months ahead of time, and it was really hard to find something. Harder than I would have thought. Almost everything was 8 or 9 until 3 or 4 for full day option.

Yes this is my problem too. “Camp” runs 9-4. Daycare is until 6:30 and my kids are 9! They’re too old to go to daycare camps. Dh and I can switch off who picks up but he’s a fed who travels often.

There are camps with aftercare. Those are the ones you need to use. They are fine for a 9 year old.

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:Clarification on OPM website indicates situational telework will be only for weather and emergencies declared by the agency.

So I guess that means ANY time I have a doctor's appointment, or one of my kids does, I'll be taking an entire day of SL? Is that even allowed? I've heard some policies saying you can't take more than a half day. But the last train into DC leaves from my city at 7 AM, and I'm sure not buying a second car just to drive an hour to the end of a metro line after appointments.

Cn you please provide a link? I looked but wasn't able to find this. THank you.

https://content.govdelivery.com/accounts/USOPM/bulletins/3ce821e

Any idea what this means?


“ Agency heads and employee supervisors are only required to certify telework for “other compelling reasons” for an employee not working full time at the duty station. No such certification is required for an employee disability or qualifying medical condition outside of their agency’s reasonable accommodation procedures. “

I was wondering the same. Who is writing this crap?

AI

AI is more coherent. This was written by 25 year olds raised on Logan Paul videos.

You got that right. This OPM mf writing makes no sense. Anyone have any ideas or examples of qualifying medical condition? I have high cholesterol and prediabetic.

From OPM’s SELF-IDENTIFICATION OF DISABILITY form


02- Developmental Disability, for example, autism
13- Speech impairment
spectrum disorder
41- Spinal abnormalities, for example, spina bifida or scoliosis
03- Traumatic Brain Injury
19- Deaf or serious difficulty hearing, benefiting from,
44- Non-paralytic orthopedic impairments, for example, chronic pain, stiffness, weakness in bones or joints, some loss of ability to use part or parts of the body
for example, American Sign Language, CART, hearing aids, a cochlear implant and/or other supports
51- HIV Positive/AIDS
52- Morbid obesity
20- Blind or serious difficulty seeing even when wearing glasses
59- Nervous system disorder for example, migraine headaches, Parkinson’s disease, or multiple sclerosis
31- Missing extremities (arm, leg, hand and/or foot)
80- Cardiovascular or heart disease
40- Significant mobility impairment, benefiting from the utilization of a wheelchair, scooter, walker, leg brace(s) and/or other supports
81- Depression, anxiety disorder, or other psychiatric disorder
83- Blood diseases, for example, sickle cell anemia,
hemophilia
60- Partial or complete paralysis (any cause)
84- Diabetes
82- Epilepsy or other seizure disorders
85- Orthopedic impairments or osteo-arthritis
90- Intellectual disability
86- Pulmonary or respiratory conditions, for example,
91- Significant Psychiatric Disorder, for example, bipolar
tuberculosis, asthma, emphysema
disorder, schizophrenia, PTSD, or major depression
87- Kidney dysfunction
92- Dwarfism 93- Significant disfigurement, for example, disfigurements caused by burns, wounds, accidents, or congenital disorders
88- Cancer (present or past history)
94- Learning disability or attention deficit/hyperactivity
disorder (ADD/ADHD)
95- Gastrointestinal disorders, for example, Crohn's Disease, irritable bowel syndrome, colitis, celiac disease, dysphexia
96- Autoimmune disorder, for example, lupus, fibromyalgia,
Other Options:
rheumatoid arthritis
97- Liver disease, for example, hepatitis or cirrhosis
01- I do not wish to identify my disability or serious
health condition.
98- History of alcoholism or history of drug addiction (but not currently using illegal drugs)
05- I do not have a disability or serious health condition.
99- Endocrine disorder, for example, thyroid dysfunction
06- I have a disability or serious health condition, but it
is not listed on this form.

Thank you. Now from reading the first Jan 22 OPM memo, it requires full time telework unless approved by agency head and supervisor. Then this updated guidance states the certification is only needed for “other compelling need”. So this means I have a disability or qualifying medical condition and do not need approval to telework? I can continue to telework? Hurray. OPM such idiots…

The medical condition list is very generous and I will pursue this coa.

Everyone has ADHD. That should be enough.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It would be a shame if people starting telling the WaPo about Trump political appointees who aren’t following their own RTO policies.

Biden appointees didn't either, and it was publicized, and it didn't matter.

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:I didn't have school aged kids before telework so what did people do? Did people put their kids in before/aftercare/camps/school for 10 hours a day? How did people find time for extracurriculars if elementary kids are in aftercare until 5:30-6?

My kids were not yet school aged when COVID started so they were still in daycare/preschool. But even before COVID DH and I both teleworked multiple days per week so that at least one of us was home. Usually the commuting spouse would do morning drop off since they had to head out anyway and then the teleworking parent would do pickup so the kids didn’t have to be there past 5.

I think a lot of parents of school aged kids teleworked at least hybrid before COVID. It’s not like March 2020 marked the invention of WAH. For those who need longer hours, they use aftercare, but staffing has gotten harder in the childcare sector so spots are limited with long waitlists. Or maybe if you’re lucky you can find a martial arts type place that has a van to do school pickup and take them to do activities.

I also think a lot of the parents were just not in the workforce or were underemployed. I guess this administration thinks that is preferable to go back to.

My kids a now in extracurriculars starting as early as 4:30/5. To keep them in we’d have to take leave some days, use carpools, stagger hours, not really sure yet … thankfully my DH’s private sector job has been remote since 2018 and his colleagues are scattered across the country with no office to go to, so I guess he would have to take on more of the kid shuffling at home if I go back 5 days (holding out hope my agency’s CBA holds). I would try to jump ship out of government quickly though if forced to commute 5 days/week.

The schedule and juggling you describe is very normal. My husband is 5x/week and I am remote and do more juggling, but I can’t do it all while working during the day, so we have a nanny who helps after school with driving while I am working. Millions of people do this and it is not fun, but it is the norm.

Let me guess, either you don’t live in the DC area, or your husband is a high earner in the private sector. My husband and I are both feds and would not be able to afford a nanny to drive our two elementary aged kids to activities.

As others have mentioned camps alone offer garbage hours and after care to add on another $200 to a camp week that already costs $500 is cost prohibitive.

Our kids were 2 and 5 when Covid hit and we sucked it up and maintained our work performance and duties even though it felt impossible. We had no help. This feels like a real “f you” after we have been dedicated career civil servants over many years for different administrations.

We don’t have a problem with returning to the office, but, the extremism is the issue. Why strip people of flexibilities they had prior to Covid? Why suggest total eradication of telework? If we can even keep 1-2 days per week that will help most people feel like they can stay a little sane and manage all of their work/life balances and priorities.

Its tone deaf to act like this is a brand new and insurmountable problem. Many people are working in person for the last few years, many of them have kids, and many of them are not high earners.

Before and after care exists for a reason. If you cant flex your schedule you use it. And stop signing up for activities that start before 6pm.

By elementary school, every family I knew had a spouse who worked part time or SAH (or was a teacher). That’s what you have to do to avoid having kids in aftercare till 6 or to manage any after school activities.

Exactly. It’s what I did, and honestly I took a major career hit. And apparently a bunch of government employees never had to take this hit because they’re paid while they watch their kids. And now it’s ending.

We don’t watch our kids!!! They are in school and we pay for after care.

My fed office moved during Covid. It went from a 20 minute commute to what is now a 40 minute commute on a good day. I already do not full time telework.

But if I go in 5 days per week along with every other gov person my commute will likely be 1 hour plus.

We have no family locally. My spouse and I have always made it work.

But making our lives harder just for fun is stupid.

My spouse is a veteran as was my late father. We have spent our lives serving our country in various capacities. Riddle me this—is this admin, and its supporters are all pro family pro life, why is it against supporting actual families that exist?! That currently serve the American public??? Make it make sense!!

They are pro family with a working father and SAHM.

I truly hope it chaps their a$$ to know that I am a woman who will be leaving my federal govt job where I can get my kids off the bus and moving to biglaw where I’ll have to hire some stranger to watch my kids instead. I’ll make lots of money, though. Sorry MAGAs.

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

PP. I came from BigLaw but keep the sass up bc I’m thriving on the hate.

Wow! Bad look. Sounds like you’re full of attitude. You probably couldn’t get rehired by BigLaw.

You can keep telling yourself that as I spent my night discussing the merits of my biglaw offer vs my in-house offer with my husband and how we will arrange for the extra childcare for our twins. Sorry if that doesn’t fit your MAGA narrative of fed lawyers heading to the breadline.

No one is saying that *no* fed lawyer will be able to successfully transition. And I am sure you are one of those who will, PP. After all, no one would stretch the truth on an anonymous forum to prove a point, would they? Of course not. You're an absolute ace.

The point, though, is that you are not the norm. Yet every fed lawyer (other than the curiously self-aware PP who recently posted) really believes that untold riches are awaiting in the private sector. Good luck to them, is all I can say.

I am the PP that you’re responding to and, yes, I’m not saying that every fed lawyer will be in this position. My point, which got lost along the way of quoting my original post, was that I’m sure that some MAGA idiots who voted for this hoped that I, as a woman with young kids, would be forced to be a SAHM. Instead I’m considering fabulous offers for 2-3x the pay and interviewing childcare providers for afterschool care (probably *gasp* immigrants). I hope they screenshot this and post it to their RWNJ forums

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Summer is going to be really tough for parents with zero telework flexibility. For just one example preteens/teenagers. One cannot so easily just sign them up for 8-6 summer camps for the entire summer anymore. They have activities that some weeks end at 12-4 pm etc. We the past few years got really used to having some scheduling flexibility that could be maximized during the summer months. I am not quite ready to have them be full-on latchkey kids 5 days a week.

My kids did camp all summer when I was working before the pandemic in a government position without telework.

DP. I'm not sure those exist anymore. I booked extended day camps for my kids last summer every week because I didn't know which days would be in person months ahead of time, and it was really hard to find something. Harder than I would have thought. Almost everything was 8 or 9 until 3 or 4 for full day option.

Yes this is my problem too. “Camp” runs 9-4. Daycare is until 6:30 and my kids are 9! They’re too old to go to daycare camps. Dh and I can switch off who picks up but he’s a fed who travels often.

There are camps with aftercare. Those are the ones you need to use. They are fine for a 9 year old.

There aren’t that many for the number of kids that would need it. Every summer our rec center camps get completely filled up and somehow parents are able to drop off and pick up (probably by staggering schedules), but it’s clear these working parents have some kind of flexible schedules or WFH.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Summer is going to be really tough for parents with zero telework flexibility. For just one example preteens/teenagers. One cannot so easily just sign them up for 8-6 summer camps for the entire summer anymore. They have activities that some weeks end at 12-4 pm etc. We the past few years got really used to having some scheduling flexibility that could be maximized during the summer months. I am not quite ready to have them be full-on latchkey kids 5 days a week.

My kids did camp all summer when I was working before the pandemic in a government position without telework.

DP. I'm not sure those exist anymore. I booked extended day camps for my kids last summer every week because I didn't know which days would be in person months ahead of time, and it was really hard to find something. Harder than I would have thought. Almost everything was 8 or 9 until 3 or 4 for full day option.

Yes this is my problem too. “Camp” runs 9-4. Daycare is until 6:30 and my kids are 9! They’re too old to go to daycare camps. Dh and I can switch off who picks up but he’s a fed who travels often.

I'm going to trade off with another family for pick-ups on those weeks or just take a few hours of leave each day.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Summer is going to be really tough for parents with zero telework flexibility. For just one example preteens/teenagers. One cannot so easily just sign them up for 8-6 summer camps for the entire summer anymore. They have activities that some weeks end at 12-4 pm etc. We the past few years got really used to having some scheduling flexibility that could be maximized during the summer months. I am not quite ready to have them be full-on latchkey kids 5 days a week.

+1 This is going to be a nightmare.

[Anonymous]

Sorry not sorry, MAGA, you lost on this one. Thanks for posting, PP kickass mom!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It would be a shame if people starting telling the WaPo about Trump political appointees who aren’t following their own RTO policies.

This is going to be a boom for investigative reporters in this area. Bring it on!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Summer is going to be really tough for parents with zero telework flexibility. For just one example preteens/teenagers. One cannot so easily just sign them up for 8-6 summer camps for the entire summer anymore. They have activities that some weeks end at 12-4 pm etc. We the past few years got really used to having some scheduling flexibility that could be maximized during the summer months. I am not quite ready to have them be full-on latchkey kids 5 days a week.

My kids did camp all summer when I was working before the pandemic in a government position without telework.

DP. I'm not sure those exist anymore. I booked extended day camps for my kids last summer every week because I didn't know which days would be in person months ahead of time, and it was really hard to find something. Harder than I would have thought. Almost everything was 8 or 9 until 3 or 4 for full day option.

Yes this is my problem too. “Camp” runs 9-4. Daycare is until 6:30 and my kids are 9! They’re too old to go to daycare camps. Dh and I can switch off who picks up but he’s a fed who travels often.

There are camps with aftercare. Those are the ones you need to use. They are fine for a 9 year old.

Signing up for these camps is going to be like the Hunger Games this year.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Summer is going to be really tough for parents with zero telework flexibility. For just one example preteens/teenagers. One cannot so easily just sign them up for 8-6 summer camps for the entire summer anymore. They have activities that some weeks end at 12-4 pm etc. We the past few years got really used to having some scheduling flexibility that could be maximized during the summer months. I am not quite ready to have them be full-on latchkey kids 5 days a week.

My kids did camp all summer when I was working before the pandemic in a government position without telework.

DP. I'm not sure those exist anymore. I booked extended day camps for my kids last summer every week because I didn't know which days would be in person months ahead of time, and it was really hard to find something. Harder than I would have thought. Almost everything was 8 or 9 until 3 or 4 for full day option.

Yes this is my problem too. “Camp” runs 9-4. Daycare is until 6:30 and my kids are 9! They’re too old to go to daycare camps. Dh and I can switch off who picks up but he’s a fed who travels often.

There are camps with aftercare. Those are the ones you need to use. They are fine for a 9 year old.

Signing up for these camps is going to be like the Hunger Games this year.

We always do camps and the competition is notably fierce right now.