Reply to SEC NTEU CBA arbitration

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]Such a weird thing to obsess over. He didn’t care about telework during first term. Why now, suddenly? [/quote]

They want people to quit.  There is no answer other than they want to make things difficult so people quit.  There is also a pay freeze coming so thats another lever they are pulling to get people to quit.  [/quote]

+1.  I'm at another agency and I believe they must want people to quit regardless of function--which they will over time.  [/quote]

I'm standing firm no matter what. Will not allow them to force me out!  But I'm pretty sure that telework is a no go from here on out.[/quote]

Telework is widely available for SES and political appointees. Other MAGA hires are using religious RAs to get telework. They can deny disability RAs but not religious based RAs. They want everyone else to quit[/quote]

Nothing to stop you from using religious RA for TW. [/quote]

Religious RAs have been around at the SEC for some time now, I wouldnt count on being able to use it to get recurring TW.  [/quote]

If you convert to Islam then you can get recurring telework to do daily prayers which is in line with the OPM memo and cannot be denied unless the agency can show significant operational impact.[/quote]

Recurring telework is one option to accommodate prayers, but it is not the only option. They can offer a prayer room at the office, and that would likely be an effective alternate accommodation.[/quote]

+1.  This is the part people are missing about the religious accommodations.  With RAs you dont get to pick your accommodation so a private office with breaks for prayers would be the most likely solution offered by the agency.  Also, the SEC has a dedicated prayer/mediation room they could let you use.[/quote]

Oh really? Guess you can tell that to the MSPB when you're fired for disregarding the memo and violating the executive order Eradicating Anti-Christian Bias.[/quote]

Good luck with that, these go straight to OHR and no one is firing Mark R. [/quote]

The issue I see with that is given network capabilities and the fact that we were successful with so much telework for so long (and arguably more productive), it’s hard to say that telework ISN’T a reasonable accommodation, if not the most reasonable.  People can clearly do their jobs via telework and it doesn’t cost the agency any money.  Furthermore, if you live 2 hours away but you pray at your daily mass or mosque, a prayer room at the SEC isn’t really a reasonable answer.

I get the SEC can provide an alternative accommodation if they choose, but it would seem to open the Agency to liability if they made an employee use an onsite prayer room instead of just allowing telework, if not everyday, certainly for some portion of some days. I mean, have you seen what some people are getting disability RAs for?  Now, many of those are completely legit.  But I can’t imagine saying no to TW to allow daily prayers at someone’s chosen place of worship but yes for some of these ridiculous other reasonable accommodations being approved.

For example.[/quote]

The OPM memo states that telework on a limited basis would be unlikely to pose an undue hardship. Limited basis does not mean full time telework. Moreover, while Muslims have to pray daily, they don’t have to specifically pray at a mosque. And if someone needs to pray at a physical place of worship, they need to request annual leave, not telework.[/quote]

You need to go back and read the memo.  This is the full context of the limited basis criteria:

“Telework is often a low-cost solution that aligns with the Groff standard, as on a limited basis, it typically does not impose substantial operational burdens. Agencies should assess telework requests by considering technological feasibility, job requirements, telework eligibility, and other relevant factors. Additionally, an employee must have a written telework agreement. Denials of telework accommodations for religious practices or observances must be justified with evidence of significant operational impact, per Groff.”

In the telework section, the memo cites the need for time specific prayers “during breaks in the day” as one example of something that can require flexibility and justify a religious accommodation in the form of telework.  It does not limit the amount of telework per person and given the SEC’s history with telework, it’s hard to say it would have a “significant operational impact” if an employee needed telework every day or most days to accommodate a break during the day to attend daily mass, go to confession, or pray at an employee’s regularly attended church.

A denial of telework and a requirement to use an onsite prayer room that may or may not be available at the right time even, would open the agency to liability under the above criteria in light of all the Groff factors considered in light of the SEC’s specific facts.[/quote]

Just curious… Aren’t you the same person who predicted that SEC employees would be allowed to telework until the expiration of the CBA due to the union’s rockstar negotiator?[/quote]

What does that have to do with OPM outlining telework accommodations for high qualified employees of faith?[/quote]

As mentioned, I’m just curious.[/quote]

LOL…. No.  Why would anyone invite the ire of the universe by saying something so stupid in this political environment. That was clearly irony that did not land as intended.

OPMs guidance has nothing to do with the union and stands whether or not the union wins arbitration.[/quote]

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