Feds- what's going on in your org?

[Bernadine]

I'm hearing rumors of freezing internal promotions here. I might know for sure this afternoon. Our budget is SO tight.  I will for real be shocked if we're not furloughed.

I wish he would just nominate someone for our agency already.

What's going on in your org?

[atarianna]

Lots and lots of rumors.

My friend in EPA "isn't worried" because there are "always hiccups at transition". I am guessing maybe she is a trump supporter? Because otherwise, are you fucking kidding?!

[bex]

We've been told no promotions as well, and no new hires, but they are trying to push through a new ALJ hiring, so we'll see. the SES program is supposedly still on.

Our backlog is YUGE and the hearing offices' backlogs are worse, so any furlough would have disastrous consequences in that regard.

[atarianna]

Do you think freezing internal promotions will also freeze automatic grade increases?

[downtoearth]

Not a fed, but I joked in a meeting with EPA people when they "weren't ready to discuss" one key issue, that they should "You don't have to say anything, but just blink twice if it's because of a presidential gag order." They all laughed and someone said, "No, no. It's because our lawyers and the state's lawyers are still trying to agree on that."

[Bernadine]

Feb 2, 2017 12:46:51 GMT -5 bex said:

We've been told no promotions as well, and no new hires, but they are trying to push through a new ALJ hiring, so we'll see. the SES program is supposedly still on.

Our backlog is YUGE and the hearing offices' backlogs are worse, so any furlough would have disastrous consequences in that regard.

I just got an SES program email. I wasn't even considering applying, and now I'm wondering if I should, if there will be no other promotional opportunities in the foreseeable future.

[andwhat]

No changes. Things are still going as before.

[fuckyourcouch]

Feb 2, 2017 12:48:53 GMT -5 atarianna said:

Do you think freezing internal promotions will also freeze automatic grade increases?

I got an email this week that HR is processing my career ladder one. So it appears no.

[candreco]

Navy, ship acquisition, so with his call for a 355 ship navy, people are going full speed to figure out how to get there. God knows where the money will come from- definitely feels like ill-gotten gains.

Rumors that the hiring freeze won't apply to acquisition positions, but no one has figured out that our biggest roadblock is always contracts and legal staffing and availability. Guess who's not likely to be included in a hiring freeze exemption.

I'm yet again questioning whether I can stay. The fact that my job is directly related to officer/sailor morale and welfare (and I feel like they're going to need everything they can get in the next few years) and not combatants is keeping me there.

[fuckyourcouch]

Feb 2, 2017 13:03:25 GMT -5 andwhat said:

No changes. Things are still going as before.

Same.
We aren't funded by appropriations or anything so our business as usual seems to always just carry on.

[bex]

Feb 2, 2017 13:01:42 GMT -5 Bernadine said:

Feb 2, 2017 12:46:51 GMT -5 bex said:

We've been told no promotions as well, and no new hires, but they are trying to push through a new ALJ hiring, so we'll see. the SES program is supposedly still on.

Our backlog is YUGE and the hearing offices' backlogs are worse, so any furlough would have disastrous consequences in that regard.

I just got an SES program email. I wasn't even considering applying, and now I'm wondering if I should, if there will be no other promotional opportunities in the foreseeable future.

That's what we are being told - to do it because its all there is right now. Meanwhile I'm all, I DONT WANT TO DO SES, I LIKE MY CUSHY JOB.

sigh. 

[bex]

Feb 2, 2017 13:01:42 GMT -5 Bernadine said:

Feb 2, 2017 12:46:51 GMT -5 bex said:

We've been told no promotions as well, and no new hires, but they are trying to push through a new ALJ hiring, so we'll see. the SES program is supposedly still on.

Our backlog is YUGE and the hearing offices' backlogs are worse, so any furlough would have disastrous consequences in that regard.

I just got an SES program email. I wasn't even considering applying, and now I'm wondering if I should, if there will be no other promotional opportunities in the foreseeable future.

I'm on the conference call for it now. The guy got sent to Chicago for 6 months. I can't do that. Ugh.

[gerberdaisy]

No changes here. We aren't sure if we are part of the hiring freeze, so we're continuing to recruit as normal.

[womet]

Feb 2, 2017 12:54:23 GMT -5 lessel said:

Feb 2, 2017 12:48:53 GMT -5 atarianna said:

Do you think freezing internal promotions will also freeze automatic grade increases?

Our guidance says no. Wouldn't also freeze career ladder moves--like if you're on a 11/12 position, wouldn't freeze the move to the 12.

We're hearing no laterals, no promotions (even temporary), etc.

Boo. So does this mean that there is no exemption for public health?

[rubytue]

They are pretending nothing is happening. It's so weird. Business as usual, and they act like it's crazy talk for staff to be worried. Well, except for comments like "it's a good thing we aren't EPA right now."

[karinothing]

In line with what bex, said. Huge backlogs, they mixed up our staffing somewhat so people are going to be doing different things (and they had no choice) but everyone still has jobs.

[pumpkin]

We've been told no hiring, but for positions where an offer was extended prior to the date of the freeze being enacted. Which sucks since I interviewed for a promotion that week and I was a top candidate; we were told yesterday that they are currently unable to hire for that position so who knows what will happen if/when the freeze is listed.
We're also supposed to be opening a new call center and rumors are that they will interview for the positions but not hire anyone at this time.
Also, we received an email from the acting secretary about which positions were being viewed as regarding public health and for which they are still planning to hire.

[melissa]

I have no desire for SES considering you are at will of those above you.
It's hectic around here, people from the main office are being reassigned and just when my office thought we had everything set with logistics (location, PD, etc.) they find out that no actions can be put in the system. Supposedly, higher ups were in a meeting about it this afternoon.

[Deleted]

Feb 2, 2017 12:46:51 GMT -5 bex said:

We've been told no promotions as well, and no new hires, but they are trying to push through a new ALJ hiring, so we'll see. the SES program is supposedly still on.

Our backlog is YUGE and the hearing offices' backlogs are worse, so any furlough would have disastrous consequences in that regard.

Except new ALJ hiring is pointless if they won't hire more writers. We're currently at about 75 days between ALJ writing instructions and a writer actually writing it. More ALJs won't reduce our backlog at all.

We were basically told today to do more work even though there will be no internal promotions. And they stopped a millimeter short of telling us to just put out shitty work as long as it gets out the door. Our productivity is down, but our quality is sky high. So basically they want us just to pump out as much work as possible even though it sucks. Which is awesome because it just means in 3 years, Congress is going to be bellyaching about how our work is terrible and we're focused on artificially created quotas.

Keep in mind that based on the personnel we have, even if we are exceeding our production goals, it is mathematically impossible to eliminate the backlog. If my office meets its goal every week, our backlog will grow by approximately 11 cases/week.

[Deleted]

Oh, and morale is in the SHITTER. Take away people's prospect of promotion and talk about how the employees are all just drains on society, and shocker that people feel demoralized! Crazy how that works, right?

[bex]

@angryharpy, oh I know, which is why I think the push is kind of funny.

Yay more hearings so more decisions need to be written!

[aussiecrush]

The hiring freeze came the lowest manning in 8 years. H has mandatory overtime nearly every week on the calendar. Approved transfers are continuing but anything that wasn't signed and sealed is frozen. Expectation for a bill on privatization is this fall, if it isn't an EO sooner.

[Deleted]

Ugh, aussiecrush, that sucks. One of our unions is really concerned about the prospect of manadatory OT being imposed. We all fully support optional OT, but mandatory would suuuuuuck.

[pumpkin]

Feb 2, 2017 17:26:13 GMT -5 @angryharpy said:

Ugh, aussiecrush, that sucks. One of our unions is really concerned about the prospect of manadatory OT being imposed. We all fully support optional OT, but mandatory would suuuuuuck.

Not sure what you guys do, but we were under mandatory OT for what basically amounted to over 2 years and it was awful by the end. I'm all for voluntary OT, but mandatory starts to suck the life out of you after awhile.

[ellipses84]

Not a fed, but live near an agency that starts with an N and sends people to space. Word on the street is that some gov't contracts were stopped the day before they were supposed to be issued and a lot of contractors are in limbo. Way to help job growth and the economy *eyeroll* Also, a lot of upset scientists.

[carrotsmakemefat]

I work in a pretty hot area (cyber). While Feds have a hiring freeze we got an email today that cyber will likely be exempt and that while DOD issued guidance our service needs to issue theirs as well. People with their EOD dates are coming on before Feb 21. They are still conducting interviews but technically can't hire yet b

I actually have a pending job offer to move to a DHS (not CPB thankfully). And it's a great gig for me and I'm so excited. I got through security and the only thing they hadn't done was give me an EOD. So I'm waiting to see when I'm starting. I've been told that they won't rescind the offer it's just a matter of if I have to wait until the 90 days is up.

A lot of people where I am are just in disbelief in general. Not high morale at all. Trump has put others on edge

[underwaterrhymes]

My cousin works for the State Department and she said that everyone was really sad and demoralized, but they're trying to keep moving forward.

[gretchenindisguise]

Morale was low before the election because of our director. It's further been demoralized by the election.