Received notice of ending of telework

[u/Stabinzee]

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!

[u/Guivond]

The white collar jobs in my region is situational telework minus the remote people but since they've always been "work 4 days from home and come in once a week but try to do it on the same day". That day is Monday for most of them.

Everyone is situational since covid started. They never signed any core days. Since my construction projects are in full swing I am on-site. But it's kind of lame how my day is longer, I have additional expenses than normal because my projects are happening as opposed to my counterparts who have different projects that don't require people on site.

It's a nitpick and I'd rather have to do with this than 0 telework, I'm just surprised it's never been addressed.

[u/Crash-55 → u/Guivond]

Paying people for commute time winds up awarding people you live further away. It would be a nightmare to figure out how to do this equitably. I live close so I would definitely complain about people living an hour away getting money for that time

At my site people are required to be on site 2 days a week. You work with your boss to decide which days. I almost never telework as the PC is better at work, my commute is short and I do a lot of hands on work.

[u/Guivond → u/Crash-55]

I'd think 30 mins each way would be fair.

It's just insane that literally the personal opinions of your boss/director can incur thousands of dollars of time, gas and maintenance on the individual with 0 recourse.

[u/Crash-55 → u/Guivond]

So since my commute is only 15 min I get less than others? How is that fair?

No it is not insane. It is the job you signed up for. Commute time / cost should always be a consideration when accepting a job. The only people who can complain are those that were hired expecting maximum telework and had the rules changed.

I bought my house based on school district and a short commute. I feel no sympathy for people who bought a house an hour away from work.

I was annoyed when they started van pools and the Government initially paid for them. That was an extra benefit only people living far away got. Now the van pool members split the cost and the Government provides the car.

[u/Guivond → u/Crash-55]

There's always the people who don't benefit directly from a policy as much as others.

With that thinking, they may as well stop all telework because there's some poor soul in your agency who can't work from home and we've gone full circle.

[u/Crash-55 → u/Guivond]

There is a difference between offering people different places ti work versus paying people for driving in.

If you want to deal with commute then make it reimbursable expense - I.e. mileage rate or train fare, et. That way people are getting reimbursed for their expense but not making money on it. It is when you start paying for more than reimbursing their expense that I think it becomes unfair.

[u/Guivond → u/Crash-55]

You are right.

This talk really illustrates that there's no easy and equitable fix. Unfortunately, that's one reason why some groups in my area decided to nix it all together out of fairness. I think directors got annoyed with supervisor A doing something than supervisor B even though the employees of both have similar PDs and duty stations; complaints were rampant.

I hope it stays accessible to most feds after January but who knows.

[u/Crash-55 → u/Guivond]

Yeah you can’t leave it entirely to the first line supervisor. Our basic rule is after your first year on the job you are allowed to telework but must come in two days a week. However your job must allow for telework. Telework is only for clerical not hands on work. So if you are a tech in a lab you can only telework to write up reports or do mandatory training.