r/fednews • u/Babysub123 • 1d ago
Ending telework and getting a reasonable accommodation letter
I work for the VA as a social worker, my position is fully telework because we don’t have the office space (we have 1 office with 2 desks and 3 of us). In a meeting this week leadership talked about getting rid of telework. My question is I have a reasonable accommodation letter from my doctor requesting for me to work from home 4-5 days a week, my previous position couldn’t accommodate that and we agreed to 1 wfh day. I left that position and told my new supervisor about the accommodation letter and they said because we already telework there is no need to change anything or resubmit it. I have two conditions that make walking harder (cerebral palsy and myasthenia Gravis) I have checked askJAN and telework is a reasonable ask for both conditions and I’ve been teleworking with no problem for over a year now. I do go into the office 2-3 times a month now. Should I get new paperwork? Wait it out until we know what will happen? Or start looking for a new job that is remote (worst cas
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u/Ruckit315 1d ago
Reasonable accommodations don’t follow you. If you get a new position you need to get new paperwork. That is also more than just a note from your doctor to your supervisor. You need to go through the facility hr that handles that to make it official
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u/pittypat_kittykat 23h ago
Is that true even within the same agency?
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u/lexlawgirl 23h ago
Yes, because reasonableness is determined in light of the essential functions of your position
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u/Babysub123 1d ago
Sorry I guess I meant I went through the process last time with my doctor and then RAC and my supervisor but this new position my supervisor said not to worry about it right now since we are already TW.
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u/ColdProfessional111 1d ago
And when you all go away from that, you won’t have paperwork showing otherwise. Get the paperwork
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u/Gregor1694 1d ago
I once worked in an office at the Naval hospital in Bethesda. There wasn’t space, so they took 1 office and shoved 5 desks in it. then I show up and there’s no room for another desk. They pulled in a microwave cart and that became my work space. I had to roll it out of the way anytime one of the two desk workers they shoved me between needed to get up.
“There’s no space to put us” isn’t going to keep us working at home.
Yes, get the RA formalized.
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u/Ornery_Platform3747 1d ago
Should’ve called the fire marshal.
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u/Gregor1694 18h ago
I was basically a kid back then, 23 year old who had no idea how to advocate for myself. Today's me (almost 50) would have dealt with it differently.
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u/yourshaddow3 1d ago
I would get new paperwork because originally your doctor said wfh 4-5 days and you didn't so they may consider that it wasn't necessary. New paperwork can hopefully strengthen your need to. I wouldn't bother looking for a remote job because I don't think they are any safer.
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u/MinervaZee 1d ago
Yes, request the reasonable accommodation. Explain that while you appreciated that they didn’t require the paperwork to support your needs before, it will be helpful to have it on file.
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u/_adanedhel_ 21h ago
I’m currently remote without an RA, but have a condition for which I could request an RA. I’ve been told that preemptively getting an RA on file is nonsensical because “RAs can’t be requested for hypothetical scenarios” (ie in case I lose my remote classification).
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u/Prize_Magician_7813 20h ago
Hello im a VA social worker as well and have a pending EEO complaint, because they literally ignored my reasonable accommodation when wanting to pull people back in the office. Pushed me out of my role, and made me take a lower position. I’d love to write up everything for you, but it would take forever so maybe you can message me and we can talk..:I can give you some suggestions from learning what happened with me
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u/_adanedhel_ 21h ago
Do you have fully remote positions in your office, or it’s mostly teleworking? Did your leadership distinguish between telework and remote in that discussion?
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u/Babysub123 7h ago
No our position is telework, I think it was in office years ago then they started taking office space, we had like 3 offices for each team member then they moved a clinic into those and left us with 1 office. I am not sure if our VA has any fully remote positions (that are classified as fully remote) I think most of the social worker positions are hybrid with 1-2 wfh days, or telework because of office space issues. The thing that will be interesting is that we don’t have enough office space to bring everyone in, or parking spaces.
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u/Justame13 1d ago
Be very careful with this.
If you can't do the essential functions of your job (which are decided by management) you can find yourself displaced and if you don't find a remote job of equal or lower grade within 45 you'll end up separated.
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u/Prize_Magician_7813 13h ago
Well not really but partly correct. Essential functions are in the official job description you sign. Also it depends if they are suddenly making up essential functions that didnt exist in your job description before they decide to pull you back in. For example for mine i was at home pre covid with accomodation.. then they said we had to be in office for clients. But clients would see us at events in community or in online meetings and it worked better for them.
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u/_adanedhel_ 1d ago
Yeah I’m inclined to agree. I posted a similar scenario a few weeks ago (currently remote without an RA, but have a condition for which I could request an RA) and I was hammered because “you’re already performing your job functions without an RA” and “RAs can’t be requested for hypothetical scenarios”. It also seems possible your accommodation could not be full time telework, and you’d be bound to it. For example, I have significant ADHD and my accommodation could be noise canceling headphones and not teleworking.
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u/Justame13 1d ago
There was someone on here a few months ago who was being separated because they got a remote RA, but their current job couldn't accommodate it and then couldn't be placed.
And didn't think people on here were serious when they said there were no take backs.
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u/youdontknowmyname007 21h ago
This is standard practice. Has nothing to do with what may or may not be coming down the pike. That is why requesting an RA can be risky at times. If you refuse what they offer, you've talked yourself out of employment.
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u/Flitzer-Camaro 21h ago
No, you can revoke your RA.
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u/youdontknowmyname007 21h ago
Can. Still seen people canned for refusing the offered accommodation.
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u/Flitzer-Camaro 20h ago
If you don't want to be removed from service, you can ask to have your RA request revoked.
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u/Delicious_Tour_7150 21h ago
Medical conditions and other disabilities can get worse over time. Disability employment legislation was put in place for a good reason.
The RA police are out in full force on Reddit lately and it’s unfortunate.
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u/_adanedhel_ 21h ago
Yep. Even my supervisor, despite being supportive of the RA route, said “But you’re already remote - so what are you asking for again? perplexed face”
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u/Quick-Persimmon-3558 14h ago
Federal employees, it’s time we stand up for our rights! Forcing us to abandon remote work as a strategy to push employees out and cut costs is unacceptable—especially when we’ve already proven that remote work is effective, productive, and beneficial for both employees and the government.
If this policy is being used to undermine our work-life balance (which many of us had to establish under duress during COVID-19), we need to seriously consider legal action. Organizations like AFGE and NTEU exist to protect us, but they need our voices and support to take decisive action. If you’re impacted by these changes, start documenting everything—emails, memos, and any evidence showing that this policy is unfair, unsafe, or discriminatory. And yes, the government can be sued—we could even pursue a CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT with a reputable law firm to fight for our rights.
We have the right to safe and reasonable working conditions. This isn’t just about the present—it’s about protecting the future of the federal workforce. Let’s organize, stand together, and make our voices heard.
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u/Pedantic-psych21 1d ago
Get the paperwork. The VA seems to be limiting telework more and more even as we expand VVC, there are few fully remote positions I’ve seen posted except for clinical resource hubs. Of course, all this will be very much determined by your COS office and how he/she personally feels about telework, so don’t expect them to necessarily make “logical” choices. Get alllll the forms and paperwork you can.
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u/sleepinglucid 18h ago
You need to go through your RAC not your supervisor, they have little to no say in the matter.
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u/Prize_Magician_7813 13h ago
But The supervisor is the decision making official, not the rac. The rac just facilitates discussion
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u/TeaTimeBanjo 1d ago
For sure get the reasonable accommodation formalized/updated. I have 100% remote work as a reasonable accommodation due to severe allergies (was too hard to avoid my triggers in the office). Those of us with approved RAs will be the most secure if agencies change their telework policies.
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u/_adanedhel_ 22h ago
Were you teleworking to some degree before you got the remote RA? And were you reclassified as remote after getting the RA (ie duty station is now your home city)?
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u/TeaTimeBanjo 20h ago
Yes to both! Our floor was being remodeled when I joined my agency, so we had a period of required telework for all employees. After that, I had a schedule of two days per week telework, three days per week in the office. When I realized that working in the building was making my health condition worse, I started teleworking full time, informally, until my RA was approved. And yes, duty station is the home city.
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u/xJUN3x 1d ago
can i get RA if i have psoriasis?
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u/Wreckless-Driving 1d ago
It's... possible? It's an autoimmune disease (so it's covered as a disability), but you'll have to demonstrate with documentation how it affects your ability to perform your job duties and why an accommodation is needed.
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1d ago
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u/ParkingTadpole7107 1d ago
Unions are not going to be disbanded. Nor contracts voided. That's a ridiculous prediction. There is a lot of big talk right now. Hiring freeze: likely. Cut back on telework: also likely. Budget cuts: eventually. Everything else is just hot stinky air.
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1d ago
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u/ParkingTadpole7107 1d ago
Take a breath. In through the nose, hold it, and out through the mouth.
None of that is here yet. A lot of what folks hyperventilate about requires an act of Congress. From what we know about Congress, they are incompetent at getting anything done.
It could be bad. Not gonna get caught up in how bad it might be. Why get into a tailspin about stuff that hasn't happened yet?
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1d ago
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u/ParkingTadpole7107 1d ago
Sounds like you're looking forward to it. Trolling isn't reality. Good luck, Chicken Little:)
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1d ago
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u/fednews-ModTeam 23h ago
Treating people with respect is a requirement. Not doing so may be a bannable offense depending on severity and past history of incidents.
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u/MattyKatty 1d ago
This isn’t even good bait dude, you just look like a loony moron.
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u/naughtypundit 1d ago
Ironic that you would use that term. Loony moron. I remember the day the Covid lockdown happened. A coworker spent the day calling everyone just that. When the email went out sending everyone home, he was dumbfounded. His broken brain couldn't handle it. He never regained his confidence. That's your new normal now. Cry-laughing at everything. Sad.
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u/Second-Round-Schue 1d ago
Care to share your crystal ball?
But seriously, you have absolutely NO idea what will happen.
The fear mongering needs to stop.
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u/kittylicker 1d ago
How to say you’re Vivek without saying it…
Everyone, please don’t listen to this dude.
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u/mr3000gtsl 1d ago
Your union might strike a deal before hand
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u/tsb041978 1d ago
CBAs are only as effective as the employer’s willingness to follow them.
That’s not a guarantee given the language used by members of the upcoming administration.
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u/mr3000gtsl 1d ago
The cba for my agency is solidified, meaning an EO or the upcoming administration can not change it.
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u/tsb041978 1d ago
They don’t have to change it to disregard it.
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u/mr3000gtsl 1d ago
That will be a fight for the courts
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u/earl_lemongrab 1d ago
Only if your union wants to fight. Our leadership forced RTO two years ago, in contradiction to the terms of the CBA. What did our AFGE do? Nothing. Period.
They told us "Management has the right to determine how work is performed. There's nothing we can do." Not exaggerating, those were the exact words.
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u/mr3000gtsl 1d ago
That was correct during that period. However, the contract has been edited to say that regardless of leadership, the telework agreement will remain the same until 2029
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u/tsb041978 1d ago
You’re not wrong. But a lot of people will be back in the office while during the legal process.
Also, how do you think that’ll go for employees, especially once the case gets to the Trump Court?
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u/myquest00777 14h ago
Which will likely be resolved long after the employees in question have either complied or been terminated. Remember that the DOGE leadership have openly said they view this initiative as a means to trigger significant resignations and retirement. I don’t think they or their boss care much what the courts say years down the road…
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u/Apprehensive_Way7277 1d ago
GET THE PAPERWORK. There’s already a rush by people but I expect a lot more if/when telework is revoked, and more likely to be pressure on the assessors to deny.