Posted on 02/15/2025 4:35:54 PM PST by ransomnote
Some need to win a coin flip to use a desk. Others say they’re killing time when workstations aren’t available.
As the Federal Emergency Management Agency prepared for its full workforce to report in person this month, it faced a situation many agencies are confronting as they scramble to comply with President Donald Trump’s return-to-office mandate: There weren’t enough workspaces for everyone.
As a result, employees would have to “share workstations on a rotating basis,” the agency announced in guidance shared with employees last week. The guidance, obtained by The Washington Post, stated: “Supervisors will resolve workplace availability conflicts using the following criteria in the order listed below.”
Topping the list was “full-time employment status,” followed by seniority and pay-scale criteria. But if none of those settled the conflict, supervisors were directed to turn to the sixth item on the list: “flip of a coin.”
This is the new reality some government employees are facing as they seek something as basic as a desk to work at.
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With the administration also working to terminate leases on federal offices nationwide, some agencies are already requiring most workers back.
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Her office has 14 working desks for 40 people, he said, so they take turns at the desks and spend the rest of the day killing time and chatting in the halls.
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To deal with overcrowding, the agency’s management barred full-time on-site contractors from using the garage. According to the employee, no exceptions were made for disabled contractors with handicap placards, many of whom are veterans.
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A DHS spokesperson said in a statement that the department’s parking policy “aligns with pre-pandemic guidelines, which did not permit contractor parking,” and that “this policy is being reintroduced to prioritize parking for federal employees.”
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonpost.com ...
When the power went out at the company, we went outside (under shelters if raining) and used covered balcony railings, cars, elevated cement planters etc. or sat indoors on the ground near the windows throughout the building (e.g., dining hall, entry hall, etc.) to hold meetings and work on contracts. We took turns using conference rooms for calls or walked to a location where we could have a private conversation. It wasn't convenient at all, but work advanced. The feds could disperse throughout the building(s) and call each other - they are used to remote work. I understand computers are an issue, but this situation is temporary.
When our company network went down hard, we dragged out the old paper process and began routing work in the old style routing folders. The feds who are standing around killing time are not acting like they want their jobs very much. Is that another reason to move them on site (a test)?
Sometimes we improvised- when a lot of furniture had not returned post-renovations, some of us brought in folding chairs or lawn furniture because we wanted our jobs. I wasn't impressed with the company for putting us in that situation, but I could look for work elsewhere if it was not acceptable or was expected for us to function that way long-term. But then, I wasn't sitting back dreaming of the federal class action lawsuit/lawfare angles I could pursue if RIF'd.
WAPO, CNN and others have it so easy; they no longer make an effort to hide that their work is entirely fabricated, attributed to 'anonymous sources' 'government officials' and 'persons with knowledge of the meeting'. Since Trump took office, those 'anonymous' excuses for fabricating hit job stories now carry the ominous wording 'remained anonymous to avoid retribution.' Sometimes this fear mongering excuse for fake news specifies 'job' retribution. Okay so what kind of 'retribution' do they mean when 'job' is not specified? I have to ask, prior to Trump, why did these fake news MSM's cite 'anonymous sources' if there was no fear of retribution? Even 'job' retribution? Drama much?
I doubt anyone actually stopped working remote and came into the office. Just another BS story.
I thought they used the DC Metro.
Mass Transit. Isn’t that what they want all of us to use, out here in the hinterland?
“There weren’t enough workspaces for everyone.”
Then there are too many employees.
What THE hell did these people do in 2019?
They used to pretty much promote and require carpooling. Many agencies did. Not only because of space, but to be greener. Libs promoted this stuff. I suggest they do it again.
How did they do this before COVID?
Let them just sort it out.
There may be some temporary disfunction, but better than not doing anything!
BINGO. My brother is a construction supervisor for a large university and they design new buildings with zero parking spaces to force people to use mass transit. This is done to save the planet and such.
Seems pretty obvious that there is some severe over staffing ... some friends, relatives, etc. should be easily identified and cut.
Real b-itch when you have to wait in line to play your tik tok videos and porn.
Aaron Whiner
Hmmmmmmm....... The author is Aaron Wiener. The mind wonders.
Great point. Easy to rectify that problem.
?
That was the substance of the applicable EOs.
Who has the authority to defy them?
Are those who failed to show up in person as required now being fired for insubordination?
Because that would seem to be the logic of the applicable EOs.
As usual LSM thinks we are dumb and actually still believe their lies.
Rushed? Really! They are going with “rushed”!
Almost everyone else from the Covid WFH period went back to the office ages ago. Yes, there have been a few private companies who allowed the practice to continue, but federal workers should have been the first workers to return to the office.
Hopefully more will quit. Government is bloated.
I would think this is mostly BS. I also think it is likely ALL people working from home would have government laptop computers and related hardware and VPN software. I doubt their office IT infrastructure changed all that much over the last 5 years. If staff got new computers it might take some time to register the new computers on the office local area network. Also if these people were working from they likely had a government phone that allows internet hotspot access for the laptop.
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