We should embrace it as part of a balanced workplace to promote employee satisfaction and productivity. The solution is compromise, it continues, through a hybrid mix of work where and when it makes sense. Blackburn Leads Senate Effort To End Pandemic-Era Remote Work For Every human being hates commuting, said Jacqueline Simon, the public policy director at the American Federation of Government Employees. In a letter to House leaders, the American Federation of Government Employees warned the legislation could run afoul of collective bargaining agreements between the United States government and unions. The spending cuts would directly impact the operations of OPM Retirement Services, the Thrift Savings Plan (TSP) and the Federal Employees Health Benefits (FEHB) program. We are using cookies to give you the best experience on our website. Titanic sails back to Netflix July 1 in wake of Titan tragedy, Republicans urge US not to renew science and tech agreement with China, Kamala Harris open to 'Freedom' line with Converse, Republican voters declare who the real Christian presidential candidate is, Supreme Court rules against North Carolina GOP in congressional map fight, GOP presidential candidate Francis Suarez fumbles foreign policy question. When you try to call a federal employee, and all you get is a recorded response from a cell phone, you know theyre out at Walmart, or Home Depot. Press Release - U.S. Office of Personnel Management What pregnant workers should know about their rights ahead of new 2023. WASHINGTON, April 13 (Reuters) - The White House on Thursday asked federal agencies to revise workforce plans as it aims to "substantially increase" in-person work by government employees. The forced return to the office is the definition of insanity. of thousands of federal workers to return to federal offices and shutter many of the . Please enter valid email address to continue. House to vote on plan to end telework for hundreds of thousands of The new law effectively patches a legal gap between the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the Pregnancy Discrimination Act (PDA) in which pregnant women could fall through the cracks in the workplace. Like this story? Normal operating procedures are in effect. In a statement, the White House said that pandemic no longer needs to dictate how federal government works. EXCLUSIVE Federal employees could be required to return to in-person work and may be barred from utilizing telework policies implemented during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a new bill . Return to work has received greater attention since the start of the 118th Congress, with the House passing via a party-line vote the SHOW Up Act, which would require federal agencies to revert to telework policies in place prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. When risks or indications of underperformance are identified, timely actions must be taken to ensure organizations are meeting their performance objectives and customer expectations, OMB Director Shalanda Young wrote in the memo. The measure passed in a 221-206 vote and would, if enacted, require federal employees to return to offices within 30 days, consistent with policies that were in place in December 2019 prior to the onset of the pandemic. Pentagon uses Ukraine funds to split supply chains from Russia, China, Federal guard misconduct led to Jeffrey Epstein suicide, watchdog says, Christmas in June: Federal employees get extra leave in 2023, US Interior Secretary Haaland reflects on tenure amid policy changes, Making the Most Out of Military Pay Money Minute. I cant blame them. How governments have changed how they work compared to 2020. However, he added that some staff members, including a vulnerability assessor within his office living in Puerto Rico, arent going to be a regular presence in the office, but should still feel part of the team. The United States is coming up on its 247th birthday bash that is celebrated across the country with picnics, parades, fireworks and backyard barbecues. In a memo to agencies, the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) provided new guidance on return-to-office and telework policies for federal employees. Need help accessing the FCC Public File due to a disability? The US Office of Personnel Management says 47% of the . Part of the House's version of NDAA, which Rep. Gerry Connolly (D-Va.) introduced, would block the return of Schedule F, a now-rescinded Trump-era executive order that would make roughly 50,000 feds at-will workers. Days after President Biden formally ended the coronavirus national emergency, the White House has instructed federal agencies to return more employees to the office and increase "meaningful". Agencies have internal policies that allow them to offer extra leave as an award. It did last week, when the White Houses Office of Management issued guidance for agencies to substantially increase meaningful in-person work at Federal offices, particularly at headquarters and equivalents.. Since President Joe Biden promised in his State of the Union address that federal workers will return to working in their offices, the workforce with more than 2 million members has been waiting for the other shoe to drop. Unions that collectively represent the interests of 1.2 million non-postal employees say theyre concerned about this guidance being misinterpreted to justify cutting back flexibilities altogether, though they agree that not every role is suitable for telework. This webinar looked at the best practice in data sharing hat the UK government could embrace, and how organisations have overcome issues around technology and organisational culture that can hinder collaboration. The employer can no longer say, 'Too bad, you're fired' or 'You have to go on unpaid leave' or 'We don't have to discuss this. Sign up to Global Government Forums email news notifications to receive the latest updates in your inbox. The largest federal union, the American Federation of Government Employees said the voices and concerns of the employees directly affected deserve to be heard as this guidance manifests in agencies. It really helped us with our recruitment and retention. New guidance from the Office of Management and Budget urges federal workers to return to the office full-time, while still allowing some flexibility for working from home. The patchwork of telework flexibility policies results in dramatically different and sometimes arbitrary access to an important work life benefit this is despite overall work duties being comparable across offices and 95% of AUSAs surveyed reporting they were successfully able to do their job remotely during COVID-19.. Washington D.C. mayor Muriel Bowser (D) has also encouraged the Biden administration to encourage federal workers back to the office, citing declining business revenues in the city's downtown.. The Public Servants Protection and Fairness Act, H.R. The PDA, enacted in 1978, bans employers from discriminating on the basis of pregnancy in hiring and firing. under another retirement system for federal employees. Perfectly Fine a reelection disaster? - Why sustainability will be a key driver going forward for government procurement and how organisations can use it to make smarter decisions "President Bidens unnecessary expansion of telework crippled the ability of departments and agencies to fulfill their responsibilities and created cumbersome backlogs," said Rep. James Comer (R-KY), who introduced the bill, in a statement. Jailed Kremlin critic Alexey Navalny, on trial on extremism charges that could see him imprisoned for decades, on Tuesday wondered wryly why he was a greater threat to Russia than the mercenaries who had launched an armed mutiny. The White House has issued new guidance aimed at "substantially increasing in-person work" of the federal workforce. In testimony before Congress shortly after the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic, Partnership for Public Service president Max Stier said, "Even before the pandemic, evidence showed that telework enhances performance, improves morale, and helps with retention. But it is not and should not be one-size-fits-all.. Environmental Protection Agency: "EPA has not announced a return to office date. OPM Releases New Guidelines Regarding COVID-19 Quarantine and - AFGE which hasn't happened in more . Becker, however, said hes wary that some agency supervisors may choose only to focus on certain elements of the memo, such as bringing more employees back to the office. Join to find out: Biden administration tells federal agencies to cut back on teleworking Congressmen visit Kyiv. Inside Putins missile war and whats next in air defense | Defense News Weekly Full Episode 5.12.23, Four Republican U.S. Of course, the young country was embroiled in a war at the time of the declarations first public reading, so it wasnt until 1781 that Massachusetts became the first state to recognize July 4 as an official holiday. Your email address will not be published. In terms of other things to do, Mount Vernon is selling tickets for its annual celebration at the museum, or if you feel like ignoring the crowds, you can always watch the Capitol Fourth televised concert. I could see people falling into that trap of, We only have 20% of our workforce in the office. That is a very myopic view of it. Federal Manager's Handbook, 6th Ed. "Employees don't have to use any magic language. In general, during: Phase 1: Businesses should consider making telework available, when possible and feasible with business operations. Copyright 2023 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. "We cannot enter a time machine and simply disappear the utility of telework in recruiting and retaining new generations of federal workers. Full disclosure, by the way, today, our home station, WBUR, announced its back-to-the-office policy. 2023 CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved. The industry leader for online information for tax, accounting and finance professionals. In his State of the Union address last year, Biden pledged to bring workers back to the office. Banking is another great example. You have to look at the data that matters to the people youre serving, Becker said. written by Naomi Parham January 16, 2023. The House of Representatives passed a Republican bill Wednesday afternoon to require hundreds of thousands of federal employees to return to government offices, ceasing many of the work-from-home policies that were allowed throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. During a Rubrik webinar, experts discussed [], Citizens increasing demand for high quality public services comes at a time when government departments around the world are facing the effects of the Great Resignation. Feehery: Is Democrats Mr. The least they could do is snooze all day in the empty offices we are paying for. Advancing Future of the Workforce Policies and Practices Memo This year, the Fourth of July falls on a Tuesday, leaving some civil servants wondering if the White House or their agency will gift them extra holiday time on Monday to create a long weekend. Federal Employees' Compensation Program | U.S. Department of Labor For-lease signs abound; glass towers sit empty. Many of those offices are in the Washington, DC area. January 31, 2023 / 8:23 PM Though federal workers have said wont have their work-life balance be politicized, the Post said this issue is about more than partisanship. The White House said that the pandemic no longer needs to dictate how federal government works. And so Im confident that the team will continue to produce, no matter what happens in the future, Jacobs said. 2023 Layoff Tracker: Ford Cutting 1,000 Employees, Report Says - Forbes "I get my work done faster and easier," McIntyre-Dubose said. FEMA has drafted a playbook for establishing these sites, which will allow it to respond quickly to state requests alongside the US Health and Human Services (HHS) and defence departments. The Veterans Affairs Department and Indian Health Service will also be enabled to vaccinate their constituents directly going forward. WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. The House of Representatives is expected Wednesday to pass legislation requiring hundreds of thousands of federal workers to return to federal offices and shutter many of the telework arrangements permitted amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Christmas in June: Federal employees get extra leave in 2023 For the year ending Jan. 13, 2024, there will be 27 leave periods, one more than there are pay periods. The 19-page, calls on agencies to increase in-person work that is purposeful, well-planned, and optimized for in-person collaboration while still using flexible operational policies as an important tool in talent recruitment and retention., , Deputy Director for Management at OMB Jason Miller said the guidance we are releasing today directs agencies to refresh their Work Environment plans and policieswith the general expectation that agency headquarters will continue to substantially increase in-person presence in the officewhile also conducting regular assessments to determine what is working well, what is not, and what can be improved., Return to work has received greater attention since the start of the 118. This webinar from Samsung and Insight brought together experts from across [], When COVID-19 hit and countries moved to close borders to protect their populations, the tourism industry shut down almost overnight, with big implications for the economy. Are they answering the phones? I think every agency is literally put on notice, in a good way, to say that you cant just look at the data that you think matters. Inside Putins missile war and whats next in air defense | Defense News Weekly Full Episode 5.12.23, Four Republican U.S. If an employee previously has used any portion of the 13 days of sick . House Republicans introduce bill to return federal employees to the The memos goal of optimizing all three of these metrics, however, leaves many federal employees and executives with more questions than answers. 2023 GS Locality Pay Tables . Reuters provides business, financial, national and international news to professionals via desktop terminals, the world's media organizations, industry events and directly to consumers. Second quarter layoffs continue apace after more than 136,000 employees were cut by major U.S. companies in the first quarter of 2023. With the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act, employers must now consider giving pregnant workers a range of accommodations such as access to water, closer parking, flexible hours and additional bathrooms breaks. The Biden administration is asking agencies to investigate the linkage between customer service and in-person work, but some agency leaders are defending the productivity of the hybrid federal workforce. Becker said the OMB memo also promotes the Biden administrations goals of using data and evidence to shape policy decisions. Join this webinar to find out: of sick employees, workplace controls and flexibilities, and employee training that are appropriate for the particular phase. The change, which the agency told Federal Times on Tuesday, affects most employees located at the headquarters, regional and area offices. Legal Statement. Agencies due to increase their in-person services include the Social Security Administration and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), which will receive support from the administration to set up mass vaccination sites quickly as and when the state requests them. OMB Deputy Director Jason Miller said in a blog post, "The guidance we are releasing today directs agencies to refresh their Work Environment plans and policies - with the general expectation that agency headquarters will continue to substantially increase in-person presence in the office - while also conducting regular assessments to determine what is working well, what is not, and what can be improved.". Beginning in January, employees of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation will be required to work on site three days per week. The strategy is outlined in the governments recently published National COVID-19 Preparedness Plan. / MoneyWatch. Molly Weisner is a staff reporter for Federal Times where she covers labor, policy and contracting pertaining to the government workforce. "Rank-and-file employees are often best positioned to recognize the challenges associated with sudden changes to telework and remote work, including health and safety concerns, availability of office space, and unforeseen impacts on productivity and collaboration," the letter said. Miller said the directives are also aimed at ensuring that "American people can easily and efficiently access critical government services". What are federal employees wearing after the COVID pandemic? VA Secretary Denis McDonough said he is working with supervisors in the National Capital Region to make sure the VA is meeting the goals of a recent Office of Management and Budget memo calling for more in-person work. Reuters, the news and media division of Thomson Reuters, is the worlds largest multimedia news provider, reaching billions of people worldwide every day. Specifically, the legislation would: Direct federal agencies to submit to Congress and publish on their website a plan for the agency to resume in-person operations no later than 30 days after enactment of the legislation; Enable employees who can successfully achieve their duties outside their workstation to work remotely if agency policy permits; The IRS, meanwhile, is looking to hire 20,000 employees by the end of fiscal 2024, and is looking to compete with employers that can offer higher pay or more flexibility. GOP senators seek to end pandemic-era remote work policies for federal I will say that in my first few weeks at the IRS, the question that I focused on with the IRS right now is are we getting the job done? Starting Tuesday, millions of U.S. workers will gain vastly expanded protections under a new law that bars employers from discriminating against pregnant women and requires companies to provide accommodations so they can keep doing their jobs while they're expecting. Lee Becker, a former chief of staff for VAs Veteran Experience Office, now vice president and executive advisor for public sector and health care at Medallia, said the OMB memo forces agencies to understand they cant improve customer experience without first ensuring employees are having their needs met. Ahead of his speech, president Biden sent a thank you letter to federal employees in which he wrote: Your capabilities and dedication are what make the dederal government strong and ensure we deliver the basic needs for everyday Americans. The . How to balance the needs of employees and employers in remote working. However, under the ADA, pregnancy itself is not considered a disability that requires accommodation. The Washingtonian has a handy map to find a recommended viewing spot near you, and Marylanders can view fireworks shows listed by region. ", First published on January 31, 2023 / 8:23 PM. 1998 - 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. | All Rights Reserved. Arraignment for Trump aide is rescheduled. IRS Commissioner Danny Werfel told members of the House Ways and Means Committee last week that the agencys hybrid workforce is meeting performance targets, and that he isnt pushing for more in-office work, as long as employees remain productive. Unsure, White House tells agencies to strike a balance between telework, in-office work, Survey: As agencies turn to hybrid work, many feds want more remote options, OPM turns to agency leaders to promote new intern experience program, CISA finalizes key guidance for agencies to secure cloud services, Federal employees to get a few extra hours of use-it-or-lose-it annual leave, House, Senate committees approve 2024 NDAA, including 5.2% pay raise.
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