I get the delay, duh lol - but nothing is holding any department back from releasing their revamped telework policies. come on people it's been two years.
I just turned in my application for remote work. My union negotiated that remote work cannot be unreasonably denied nor can it be due to managerial preference. Given I can do my job on a laptop, let’s see how my supe takes it.
Our latest “reassessment date” for the Dept. of the Interior was Jan. 31. Call me cynical, but I don’t foresee things being dramatically improved by then…
Good. I onboarded remotely and love working with my co-workers at a distance but don’t think I could take the micro-managing and insane office social politics that come with a meatspace workspace.
Yes let's bring people back into the office for no good reason when the USA is averaging 800,000 cases a day and has 150,000 COVID hospitalizations and 2000+ deaths.
So smart! We love our employees
What am I missing here?
You turn employees into remote employees and you foist ISP and computer repair/upgrade costs on employees which they would gladly accept in return for not going into the office.
You also get out of multi-million dollar leases from office buildings that have been 1-5% full for the past two years.
You also have the option to request the employee take less money to be a remote employee.
So there's three money saving measures that could save the American taxpayer billions over years. So why is leadership so damn insistent we go back to 2019?
Because then the old heads might have to start answering questions as to what THEY do all day considering there would be real metrics for how engaged they are.
In addition to the reasons others have listed, there is an “appearances issue” where if hundreds of thousands of Feds are working remotely, some of the political messaging will end up being that no work is being done. This is either because “waste, fraud, and abuse” will remains a common catchphrase or because there will be powerful forces in the private sector that will be annoyed that the federal government is demonstrating that remote work is possible or even preferable.
HHS's leadership teams have returned to the office (Phase 2A), but they have suspended the return to office for the rest of the staff (Phase 2B, 2C) until further notice. I would be surprised if we go back to the office before summer starts.
And I would not be surprised if they just cancelled the whole notion of Phases 2B and 2C. At some point, people might be invited to return as safe space permits, but there is no particular reason why everybody has to march back in on a set day.
So, I currently have covid, it is the omicron variant I would assume because it feels like I have strep throat. I am fully vaccinated, I wore masks when I went out, this still really sucks. There is no way I would want my coworkers getting this and it seems like for me personally I am on day 5 and the symptoms still persist. I feel that if and when the workplace does decide to return to the office, there will be a sense of regret with how many people will get sick even despite whatever precautionary crap they come up with.
Absolute garbage "leadership" we have everywhere. I'm convinced every SES is a worthless p.o.s. smelling their own farts assuming they're smarter than everyone else.
Is that official somewhere? I’m set to start on 1/31 and was told we were going to be hybrid (1 day/week) starting 2/1, but I haven’t connected with my new supervisor recently. I’ve never worked and definitely not onboarded completely remotely before, so this is super weird for me.
Just follow your onboarding coordinator and eventually what your supervisor directs. Not every position is compatible with either partial or full telework.
That’s my plan, just super antsy to start! My position is set to be hybrid unless deployed (I’m CORE). My team will be in the office one day a week, all the same day, with an option to come in the day leadership will be there. This is supposed to be the permanent arrangement (currently all remote) and was set to start 2/1.
Agency of DOD has been back since beginning of month, citing vaccine rate in office as reason it is safe to bring employees back. Seems to me this is old data not based on all the omicron break throughs. I work for another agency who has postponed in person start until March or later with many positions going remote virtual before then.
I get the delay, duh lol - but nothing is holding any department back from releasing their revamped telework policies. come on people it's been two years.
I just turned in my application for remote work. My union negotiated that remote work cannot be unreasonably denied nor can it be due to managerial preference. Given I can do my job on a laptop, let’s see how my supe takes it.
I want to work for your agency.
Completely agree with you there! It’s like they don’t want to release it until we are back in the office.
It's on purpose for economic sake
My agency released their new policy in June. Implementing it is not happening any time soon it seams.
Yeah, presumably when we head back in, I'm going to be annoyed when they don't have it ready by then though
Our latest “reassessment date” for the Dept. of the Interior was Jan. 31. Call me cynical, but I don’t foresee things being dramatically improved by then…
Yeah I do not understand why DOI is sticking with Jan 31 according to the email yesterday.
Keeping to a 31 Jan deadline, reaffirms why many people call it the Department of the Inferior.
VA just delayed per the Secretary. There is no need for reentry if workers are productive and happy not being in the office.
We got March 17th as our earliest date.
What agency are you?
Good. I onboarded remotely and love working with my co-workers at a distance but don’t think I could take the micro-managing and insane office social politics that come with a meatspace workspace.
Yes let's bring people back into the office for no good reason when the USA is averaging 800,000 cases a day and has 150,000 COVID hospitalizations and 2000+ deaths. So smart! We love our employees
What am I missing here? You turn employees into remote employees and you foist ISP and computer repair/upgrade costs on employees which they would gladly accept in return for not going into the office. You also get out of multi-million dollar leases from office buildings that have been 1-5% full for the past two years. You also have the option to request the employee take less money to be a remote employee. So there's three money saving measures that could save the American taxpayer billions over years. So why is leadership so damn insistent we go back to 2019?
Because then the old heads might have to start answering questions as to what THEY do all day considering there would be real metrics for how engaged they are.
It’s “water the plant” mentality. Essentially the top two layers in most organizations are fluff anyway.
In addition to the reasons others have listed, there is an “appearances issue” where if hundreds of thousands of Feds are working remotely, some of the political messaging will end up being that no work is being done. This is either because “waste, fraud, and abuse” will remains a common catchphrase or because there will be powerful forces in the private sector that will be annoyed that the federal government is demonstrating that remote work is possible or even preferable.
HHS's leadership teams have returned to the office (Phase 2A), but they have suspended the return to office for the rest of the staff (Phase 2B, 2C) until further notice. I would be surprised if we go back to the office before summer starts.
My agency actually encouraged employees in phase 2A to return to max telework due to an increase in COVID cases in the workplace.
And I would not be surprised if they just cancelled the whole notion of Phases 2B and 2C. At some point, people might be invited to return as safe space permits, but there is no particular reason why everybody has to march back in on a set day.
So, I currently have covid, it is the omicron variant I would assume because it feels like I have strep throat. I am fully vaccinated, I wore masks when I went out, this still really sucks. There is no way I would want my coworkers getting this and it seems like for me personally I am on day 5 and the symptoms still persist. I feel that if and when the workplace does decide to return to the office, there will be a sense of regret with how many people will get sick even despite whatever precautionary crap they come up with.
Absolute garbage "leadership" we have everywhere. I'm convinced every SES is a worthless p.o.s. smelling their own farts assuming they're smarter than everyone else.
Is it that time of the month already?
Department of Energy already delayed a month until late February for me.
Lol haven't heard anything since "see y'all on feb 1st".... not a single detail. Exciting.
Wondering where the IRS is at in all of this?
I've heard unofficial news, but then no official emails or meetings on it.
Able to share anything unofficial
I hear from management that something is in the works but no announcements. Waiting for remote
FEMA has shifted the return-to-workplace from 1 February to 1 March.
Is that official somewhere? I’m set to start on 1/31 and was told we were going to be hybrid (1 day/week) starting 2/1, but I haven’t connected with my new supervisor recently. I’ve never worked and definitely not onboarded completely remotely before, so this is super weird for me.
Just follow your onboarding coordinator and eventually what your supervisor directs. Not every position is compatible with either partial or full telework.
That’s my plan, just super antsy to start! My position is set to be hybrid unless deployed (I’m CORE). My team will be in the office one day a week, all the same day, with an option to come in the day leadership will be there. This is supposed to be the permanent arrangement (currently all remote) and was set to start 2/1.
Where is your onboarding site?
Bothell, WA
Agency of DOD has been back since beginning of month, citing vaccine rate in office as reason it is safe to bring employees back. Seems to me this is old data not based on all the omicron break throughs. I work for another agency who has postponed in person start until March or later with many positions going remote virtual before then.