Anonymous
Post 05/16/2025 08:33     Subject: Anyone get telework approved at SEC?
Anonymous wrote:Are telework requests for Fri 6/13 being granted? I was planning to take the day off but maybe will ask to telework instead. I asked to telework during SEC Speaks (attending online) and got a big no to that request.


Because SEC Speaks is a heavy traffic/crowd day? Or because why come in for 2 days of entirely virtual work? Not criticizing - I legit can’t remember if SEC speaks draws a large in person audience like from law firms etc.
Anonymous
Post 05/16/2025 07:57     Subject: Anyone get telework approved at SEC?
Are telework requests for Fri 6/13 being granted? I was planning to take the day off but maybe will ask to telework instead. I asked to telework during SEC Speaks (attending online) and got a big no to that request.
Anonymous
Post 05/16/2025 06:36     Subject: Anyone get telework approved at SEC?
Anonymous wrote:A lot of people asking for telework for the June 14 Tump parade


Isn’t June 14 a Saturday? Do you mean before or after? Before right - road closure etc?
Anonymous
Post 05/16/2025 06:17     Subject: Anyone get telework approved at SEC?
A lot of people asking for telework for the June 14 Tump parade
Anonymous
Post 05/15/2025 23:05     Subject: Anyone get telework approved at SEC?
Anonymous wrote:I feel really sorry for people who don’t have a big bank of sick and annual leave. I know if I’m at my wits end or feel like crap one day, I will just take the day off. Not everyone has that ability and there are some managers who won’t approve telework on those days.

Over the coming months, people are just going to get angrier about this. Exhaustion. No indication our new Chairman has any clue how pissed off and what impact it is having. Or even if he did know, whether he gives a flying f*%#.

More people are leaving. We won’t be able to hire. I’ve already gotten a departing employee’s entire portfolio of work assigned to me. Not one or two pieces — all of it. Do more with less time because of the commute. All while having less time with family, to sleep, to exercise . . . Morale will go much lower and probably lower than it ever has been at the agency.


You're not wrong, but this is very familiar to those of us who have worked at disfavored agencies. Chronically understaffed, hiring freezes, no budget, and so on. Less gets done, which is largely the point. You have to just accept that it's a deliberate choice, and they could make a different choice if they wanted a different outcome.
Anonymous
Post 05/15/2025 23:02     Subject: Anyone get telework approved at SEC?
Public IG report just out says they expect 770 employees to leave in FY25 — INCLUDING those who just left bc of DRO/VERA!! Hilarious — gross underestimate.

It also says that 24 pct of staff will be eligible for retirement in next 2 years.

My guess is that 10-15 pct of staff will be gone in next 12 months. And good luck hiring anyone (even if the freeze is lifted).
Anonymous
Post 05/15/2025 22:51     Subject: Anyone get telework approved at SEC?
I feel really sorry for people who don’t have a big bank of sick and annual leave. I know if I’m at my wits end or feel like crap one day, I will just take the day off. Not everyone has that ability and there are some managers who won’t approve telework on those days.

Over the coming months, people are just going to get angrier about this. Exhaustion. No indication our new Chairman has any clue how pissed off and what impact it is having. Or even if he did know, whether he gives a flying f*%#.

More people are leaving. We won’t be able to hire. I’ve already gotten a departing employee’s entire portfolio of work assigned to me. Not one or two pieces — all of it. Do more with less time because of the commute. All while having less time with family, to sleep, to exercise . . . Morale will go much lower and probably lower than it ever has been at the agency.
Anonymous
Post 05/15/2025 20:54     Subject: Anyone get telework approved at SEC?
FWIW there IS an uptick in stress/exhaustion type of health issues. I have supervised the same core group of people for years, they aren't faking and they aren't lazy people. While I'd never ask why someone is taking sick leave people, I've known these people long enough that they feel comfortable saying they're having migraines or whatever. And they don't look great even when they drag themselves back to the office the next day. So of course they're using sick leave; it's our own productivity decision that someone can't just take a few hours to rest up and then work. Or perish the thought cut them some slack so they don't develop these issues to begin with.
Anonymous
Post 05/15/2025 16:29     Subject: Anyone get telework approved at SEC?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:People are having luck w RAs. Just got to find the right doctor willing to sign off on whatever you come up with for the reason.


I’d be surprised if they are granting RAs casually. And just because you get a doctor to sign off, does not mean the agency has to agree.

If people are out now, it might be because they are allowed to TW while their RA request is being evaluated. Or maybe their reasons are more legit than you expect.


That’s not a bad scam in itself. Put in a weak RA request, if it gets thru it gets thru, if it doesn’t eh couple weeks of TW as HR gets around to evaluating it, you protest etc. I think people are doing it. This building is just too empty - and far emptier than weeks 1-2 when the VERA ppl had left but everyone else was back. It’s not even a heavy vacation time yet. Is everyone off on a business trip all at the same time?


I don't find the building empty at all, seats are all full near me and restroom is crowded. There is less visiting and talking now that the novel first weeks are over, maybe you are reacting to that.

But yes, people with college kids are taking vacation (colleges are out already), people have appointments and end of school year events that now require a day of leave, people are sick with RTO germs, etc.
Anonymous
Post 05/15/2025 13:49     Subject: Anyone get telework approved at SEC?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Is no one thinking about leaving the agency? If/when you do, do you not want annual leave paid out? Or if you stay are you really going to not go on actual vacations because you’re taking random days off to grocery shop?


I’m doing what k have to do now to survive. That includes taking more annual leave than I’d like. I can’t hold it and suffer now just for some payout if I leave. I’m thinking about leaving but it just doesn’t make sense for where things are in life.


Agree. PP most people aren’t thinking that far ahead. If taking 1 day off lets them survive this week, they’re taking it. At some point it may slow down as people try to hold onto leave but TBH it may not because people are sitting on a lot of sick time and if they’ve been here 10+ years they earn a ton of leave so these aren’t people who need to save 5 days for their beach vacation in August.
Anonymous
Post 05/15/2025 13:31     Subject: Anyone get telework approved at SEC?
Anonymous wrote:Is no one thinking about leaving the agency? If/when you do, do you not want annual leave paid out? Or if you stay are you really going to not go on actual vacations because you’re taking random days off to grocery shop?


I’m doing what k have to do now to survive. That includes taking more annual leave than I’d like. I can’t hold it and suffer now just for some payout if I leave. I’m thinking about leaving but it just doesn’t make sense for where things are in life.
Anonymous
Post 05/15/2025 12:16     Subject: Anyone get telework approved at SEC?
Is no one thinking about leaving the agency? If/when you do, do you not want annual leave paid out? Or if you stay are you really going to not go on actual vacations because you’re taking random days off to grocery shop?
Anonymous
Post 05/15/2025 11:59     Subject: Anyone get telework approved at SEC?
I think people are just taking leave. I know I have been taking sick leave and annual leave just to get everything done in my life. I was working a lot more hours with the flexibility of telework. They don’t care so I don’t care. If the work suffers as well that was their choice.
Anonymous
Post 05/15/2025 11:47     Subject: Anyone get telework approved at SEC?
Anonymous wrote:What happens if RTO just isn’t enforced? Play it out for me, in detail. Not with vague assertions of “doge will be upset” or RV will scream. What would the PRECISE ramifications be?

Who’s monitoring RTO compliance for all 450 agencies and 2.3 million employees? Has any agency head been disciplined for poor compliance? Has any employee?


FWIW a few people in my group have been saying just go back to TW 2-3 days/wk, what are they going to do if we ALL did it. Like don’t ask, just email that morning and say you’re TW thx. Interesting idea bc if you alone are doing or even 20 or 100 ppl, they’ll have no problem firing you and making an example of you. But if 80-90% of people did it will they fire 3500+ people and shut the agency’s doors? But alas as I told my coworkers, this doesn’t work bc 80-90% of the agency is rule following dorks who’d never do it. So then when you’re in that small group of 100 doing what you want - it’s an easy firing.
Anonymous
Post 05/15/2025 11:38     Subject: Anyone get telework approved at SEC?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:What happens if RTO just isn’t enforced? Play it out for me, in detail. Not with vague assertions of “doge will be upset” or RV will scream. What would the PRECISE ramifications be?

Who’s monitoring RTO compliance for all 450 agencies and 2.3 million employees? Has any agency head been disciplined for poor compliance? Has any employee?

If you’ve been on DCUM long enough, you know by now that there are plenty of peoples who will make it their business to monitor and report others. And no one who gets such a report is going to risk their jobs to protect some slacker employee.


That’s nice. But again, what actually happens? How does the story end? Has the story ended like that for anyone at all?