Federal Workers - Telework status?

[curbsideprophet]

Jan 31, 2024 6:24:08 GMT -5 karinothing said:

Jan 31, 2024 0:06:10 GMT -5 curbsideprophet said:

I do not understand this push to force people back into the office. COVID is still raging uncontrolled, telework is generally better for the environment and if someone wants to be in the office more, they are most likely allowed to do that. Overall telework seems to have been a positive thing for the disability community. We should be removing barriers for people with disabilities not increasing them. Many people really like telework! Why piss everyone off in an election year?

well 1) Congress and some taxpayers think we are lazy working from our homes and the only way to apparently not be lazy is to go into the office and 2) the DC economy has really been hurt by telework. I otherwise agree with you, but empty downtown is sad. The gov and other employers are holding on to empty buildings the district can't even turn them into housing or anything else useful. 

Given that Congress has not even passed a budget yet, not sure they have much room to talk about the ave federal worker.

I am not in DC, so I can not speak to that. Sorry downtown has not been able to adjust.

[ssmjlm]

Jan 31, 2024 20:20:36 GMT -5 mainelyfoolish said:

My DH is a DOD civilian who has been back in the office 3 days a week for quite a while now. His job is covered under a collective bargaining agreement and it recently came to light that the most recent contract only requires being on site two days per pay period. Pretty much everyone impacted, including DH, immediately applied for a work schedule change to WFH all but the minimum two days per pp and everyone who applied got the same copy+paste rejection citing unspecified operational needs, so there are a lot of people currently working their way through the union grievance process.

This is actually quite shocking that a CBA was able to overthrow a military command policy. I wouldn't be surprised if the union has to revise their agreement.

I'm also wondering how in the world the HR Labor Relations let it happen to. Command policy usually trumps all.

[simpsongal]

I think the cabinet level and CFO Act agencies are under more pressure for return to office since they've been required to submit plans to OMB.

Our Union hasn't agreed to anything, the non bargaining unit folks can go remote (which I did) and the Union employees have to go in at least once/week (maybe more?). IDK.... it's still in flux.

[candreco]

I'm a DoD civilian not under a collective bargaining agreement, and I've been back in the office six days per pay period for probably two years now? My immediate supervisor is fine with me flexing time as I need to (not tied to regular TW days, splitting days between in the office and TW to avoind traffic, etc.) but 1) I've been teleworking a couple days a week since long before COVID so I had a track record of clearly still getting my work done and being in the office when needed, and 2) interpretation of the 4 TW days per PP policy seems to really vary by supervisor within the command.

[karinothing]

Feb 1, 2024 0:10:54 GMT -5 curbsideprophet said:

Jan 31, 2024 6:24:08 GMT -5 karinothing said:

well 1) Congress and some taxpayers think we are lazy working from our homes and the only way to apparently not be lazy is to go into the office and 2) the DC economy has really been hurt by telework. I otherwise agree with you, but empty downtown is sad. The gov and other employers are holding on to empty buildings the district can't even turn them into housing or anything else useful. 

Given that Congress has not even passed a budget yet, not sure they have much room to talk about the ave federal worker.

I am not in DC, so I can not speak to that. Sorry downtown has not been able to adjust.

Yeah, the mayor of DC sent a very terse letter to the white house that was basically like "get your employees back to work or sell the buildings" I am guessing the gov doesn't want to give up all their real estate. So here we are. I don't think downtown could easily adjust. I mean you are talking hundreds of thousands of people that just disappeared essentially. 

[rubytue]

At our all hands today, som3one asked “when we will return to 5 days a week in the office?” We all looked at each other like “whut?” We have been 1 day telework (so 4 days in office) since 2003. We switched to 3 office/2 home in 2019.

But anyway, the answer was they did not anticipate any changes, and this is working for us. We are one day/week minimum now, and they try to bribe us to more (seriously, he saw they would reward us) with a dedicated cube at 3 days. Meh.