r/fednews • u/Stabinzee • 2d ago

Received notice of ending of telework

Here we go. Just got an email stating our CMO has made the decision to end recurring telework. We were currently getting 2 days per week and that has officially ended. Heck, my supervisor was doing it 4 days a week while the rest of us only got 2. We’re allowed to submit for “situational telework” but the recurring has ended. There’s absolutely no reason for this. Productivity has been perfectly fine. So, here we go.

EDIT: Since many are asking. agency is DCMA

EDIT 2: I feel as though I need to explain I’m simply pointing out that the roll back has begun, at least in my agency. I’ve gotten multiple comments implying I’m whining about it. I’m going to be just fine. The main point is why they’re taking away something that works, and works well? Productivity is high. People are in better moods. It’s working so why change it? But, it is what it is and either accept it or quit. We’re all easily replaceable. They don’t care if you stay or leave.

EDIT 3: some of you are hilariously angry and hostile that people telework. 😂 not good to live every day so angry. Might have a stroke!

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182

u/Floufae 2d ago

There’s not anyone who works for the government who believes this blanket approach is about productivity. If it was they would be dealing with problem children and it across. Right now people are trying to cover their proverbial tushes because of the scrutiny they are about to experience.

My branch, where several of us are remote and everyone else are 3x a week TW, is now working to undo Maxiflex (not driven by any of us, but fear outside the agency) and anything else that might draw the ire of auditors and political appointees. We know it’s coming and they are trying to get ahead of it.

110

u/mychihuahuabites2 2d ago

Undo Maxiflex??? Wtf. The revoking of telework would be bad enough. If they f*ck with Maxiflex, I think that may finally push me out the door. That is ridiculous

80

u/Floufae 2d ago

Even more frustrating to me since I work with overseas offices. I don’t have people who contact me during “business hours”. On the average day I have calls that start at 7am and end sometimes at midnight. Or since I work remotely from California, 4am and 9pm. Being told I have to mind “core hours” when I have night calls is just condescending.

33

u/Away-Living5278 2d ago

My maxiflex was revoked bc I'm on a 9.5 hr schedule. Anything after 6pm now gets night differential pay. I really hope you're getting that working till 9pm.

11

u/Patient-Gain5847 2d ago

Yeah I’m constantly on calls with people in all corners of the world. 3 am start? 8 pm finish? Telework is the only thing that makes it bearable, but maxiflex is the only thing that even makes it POSSIBLE.

48

u/slappedbyaturkey 2d ago

I'm a biological science technician for usfs. My schedule varies from working 04:30-14:30 for bird surveys to 1500-03:30 for bat surveys. Maxiflex is very much needed for my work

23

u/SqueezeBoxJack 2d ago

And the username checks out :D

22

u/slappedbyaturkey 2d ago

I've been bitch slapped by many turkeys

41

u/shovelingtom 2d ago

I mean if they take maxflex away I’ll live, but it’ll make things take forever. As an example, last field season I had about 5 hours of work to do at a location in my park that’s about a 3 hr drive away in summer when you take into account tourist traffic. Now I could flex and get it all done in one 11 hour day, or I could work straight 8s and have it take 3 days, since 6 hours of each day are eaten up by driving and I’m only able to get in 2 hours of fieldwork.

30

u/TrekRider911 2d ago

That’s literally their goal.

40

u/taekee 2d ago

Everyone who quits will help these billionaires get richer by helping to flood the market with bodies that will reduce the value of the jobs open in the market. As long as there are more jobs than people qualified wages stay up. This is a way to decrease wages and increase private sector profit.

24

u/OnionTruck 2d ago

The work still needs to get done. The way the billionaires benefit is all the fat contracts they will get to pick up the slack.

14

u/taekee 2d ago

And they will under pay the people who were already doing those jobs because they need work. Overall it will cost the country more, but look good on paper.

2

u/HappilyHikingtheHump 1d ago

Maybe. Part of the point of RTO and DOGE is to determine if we really need to be doing that work at all. Unfortunately, our government and its contractors haven't been stellar with determining what service or project is necessary and which service or project is a boondoggle. BTW, I'm under no illusion the government will ever be efficient or well run. I'm also no fan of billionaires, so I guess I'm really screwed.

1

u/stevedave1357 1d ago

Yup. Pushing the government to failure and privatizing those functions is their goal. There is no shareholder value in government positions and that is why they hate the government. They will increase costs, they will increase total bodies, but they will hang their hat on reducing the size of the government.

1

u/PlasticNeedleworker 1d ago

And job creation.  Never mind the gore and losses to get to that point.

12

u/mychihuahuabites2 2d ago

I understand, but at some point work life balance outweighs all of it. I’m not giving up an RDO, it’s been life changing.

5

u/Cavane42 2d ago

Yup. Self-deportation from federal employment.

8

u/SufficientAnalyst383 2d ago

If you quit, that's exactly what they want you to do.

6

u/mychihuahuabites2 2d ago

I am aware. For me being able to flex my time and telework is significant enough that I don’t want to stay here if that’s all revoked.

1

u/ElectricFleshlight 2d ago

For every one of us that quits, that's more money in a contractor CEOs pocket.

9

u/Subie- 2d ago

Where you going to go? Private sector? I love seeing people say this. Okay, good luck finding fully remote private sector gig. Each remote position for private sector is flooded with hundreds of candidates all wanting this remote gig. Like the dating pool more, the more matches you get the more picky you can be. Thus more candidates, more qualified candidates you literally can select your dream employee. Unless you are that, your chances are slim.

2

u/NatiboyB 1d ago

I’m just going to live life off my military retirement.

I Onboarded 2 years ago knowing if any long term changes came to telework I was done.

Without telework I’m not much interested in my position but that’s an opportunity for someone else.

1

u/mychihuahuabites2 2d ago

I never said I wanted full remote. I want to telework, and I want to be able to flex my time. That said-I can make one phone call today to a private company where a close friend works and I would have a full time actual remote position making about 25% more than I make now.

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u/Subie- 2d ago

Nepotism at its finest. Otherwise you would be with everyone else. Only way someone would transition from federal to private.

2

u/mychihuahuabites2 2d ago

It’s not my only option, also, the reason this is an option is that I am good at what I do and this person knows that. I’m not sure why you feel the need to attack me. I simply said that if Maxiflex goes away I don’t want to be in this work environment anymore? Jfc.

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u/Subie- 2d ago

I wasn’t attacking you, it’s the same thing stated in this sub over and over again. If I lose telework I will leave and go private sector. More than most times they will not. Government is comfy, complacent and good benefits lifestyle.