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Union attempts to negotiate provisions of the General Service Administration's new telework policy broke down on Tuesday over disagreements about ground rules and use of official time by union representatives, said the National Federation of Federal Employees GSA National Council.

"They actually never really talked about the substance itself," said John Hanley, president of the council. "When they left, they said they were going to [the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service]. We had people flown in from Huntsville, Ala., to do this bargaining, so they basically wasted their time. Given that the panel has been very pro-management, they'll get the decision that they want."

The union had objected to a number of provisions in the agency's new telework policy, announced in April by former GSA chief Lurita A. Doan, who was an outspoken advocate of telework expansion in the federal government.

Under the new policy, GSA no longer will pay for broadband Internet access and other telecommunications systems at employees' homes, though it does allow for exemptions on a case-by-case basis. The policy also permits managers to suspend employees' telework privileges if their performance suffers or they receive a conduct violation. In addition, managers can take overall agency performance into consideration when deciding whether to terminate a telework agreement.

GSA requires employees to fill out telework plan forms, though they can decline to telework. Any employee could be required to work from home in cases of emergency.

Hanley says the conduct and performance rules are arbitrary, and the reimbursement provisions wipe out savings from eliminating commuting costs. GSA's new policy, however, establishes a fund to offset costs for employees who want to work in alternate locations.

"Maybe performance matters where telework is concerned, but maybe they should limit it to whether you get an annual appraisal that's not successful, but not day to day," Hanley said. "The same thing is true of conduct. If a manager accuses you of something, even if it's been grieved and is moving through the process, they can remove you from telework. We believe that only if a discipline is upheld should it affect you."

A GSA representative could not be reached for comment by the time this article was published. John Arnold, director of public affairs at FMCS, said the agency had no record of an arbitration request, but that it was possible GSA had reached out to other sources to bring in an arbitrator.

COMMENTS

• Congress has got to get a grip that Fed Managers are the key barrier to Telework-its all about them, their performance, their awards, the perception they wish to build with the SES. They are usually subject matter experts who have little training (workshops, or online training) in real management and supervision, so they have no idea how to evaluate the end result of work-they only know how to watch for a body in a seat each day. Appointees don't help-they agree with the above approach, and can't see the good of doing a cost/benefit on reducing overhead costs such as office space, furniture and supplies, transit subsidies, etc., all direct costs. Nor do they care of the greater benefit-reduced congestion, improved productivity, morale. Congress needs to accept the fact that these guys see Telework as a perk-period, and one they may not get. Ned Posted June 13, 2008 12:20 PM
• we are trying to negotiate a telework contract as well with a DoD agency. Management also wants to take away telework for a conduct issue. What happens to the other coworker in the office that doesn't telework? They get a slap on the hand? Taking away telework and also taking action against an employee is double jeopardy. Wake up and understand. Yes teleworking is a privilege but also helps an agency in times when systems are down, in preparation for contingency (disaster) alternative plans, etc. There are many benefits for the agency including saving over head costs, productivity and not to mention less use of sick leave, etc. Congress apparently realizes this but doesnt realize that we federal workers are considered goof offs and not to be trusted by equally ineffective and ignorant managers. If the work isn't getting done, then it is obvious when and if a teleworking arrangement isnt' working. duh...but managers say nothing about workers cruising the internet as long as they are sitting at their desks like zombies.. pjj Posted June 11, 2008 4:36 PM
• Be careful when negotiating telework agreements. One or two days per pay period should be ok, but any more than that might adversely affect your locality pay (if you're still lucky enough to be in the GS system), or your local area adjustment factor if you're in NSPS. The last thing anyone needs is a pay reduction when prices everywhere sre soaring out of control. Engineer Posted June 10, 2008 2:33 PM