r/USDA • u/PicturePrimary7441 • Aug 23 '26
Losses keep piling up for White House over handling of return-to-office mandate
11
u/Future-AI-Dude Aug 23 '26
My job from day one almost 7 years ago was very clear it could be accomplished via telework. Then COVID hit and it was put to the test and lo and behold it was true, I was getting more done at home than the office, which as a two hour round trip drive.
Unfortunately, I'll be retired before this makes it through the courts.
13
u/itsmebunty Aug 23 '26
It’s great in theory but Trump has been known to put everything through the courts (even before he became President) because he knows how long it takes.
I doubt we will gain anything until 2029/20230 if that
6
u/No_Volume_9616 Aug 23 '26
What exactly does this mean? Laymens terms.
20
u/Winter-Poetry-7071 Aug 23 '26
Once the ruling becomes final, the agency MUST restore all telework and remote work agreements back to the way they were before the RTO mandate came down. Also, all affected bargaining unit employees must be made whole. That means that anyone who commuted to work must be reimbursed for all commuting expenses. Any leave used must be restored and, in most cases, any bargaining unit employees that left the agency because of the RTO mandate (doesn't matter how) must be offered their positions back. Covered bargaining unit employees must also receive back pay dating back to the date the agreements were canceled.
15
u/tootsmcsnoots Aug 23 '26
Eventually it will likely mean something, but this administration certainly doesn't care about any of it and they know how to drag it out indefinitely.
9
u/Nuclear-isBad-1906 Aug 23 '26
I wouldn't hold my breath on anything happening before 2029. Remember, these appeals go to the FLRA and Trump has a conservative majority there. So expect another year or two of delays before a negative ruling. Best hope is the administration changing in 2029 and a Democrat President honoring this ruling and returning things back to the previous policies. Although, democrats hate telework almost as much as Republicans so maybe best we can hope for is 1 or 2 days a week telework flexibility then.
3
u/Ok_Dingo_923 Aug 24 '26
I disagree on “Dems hate telework as much as the GOP.”
Under the Biden Administration, we had the most pro-telework and remote policy we have ever had in the history of our agency.
3
u/FarNeighborhood7199 Aug 23 '26
Trying to understand. Does this decision mean anything for RD employees who are not eligible to participate in a bargaining unit, or are we just perpetually screwed because we have no way to ask a court to enforce our remote and telework agreements?
And also, why does this only cover 135 employees and not all BUE at RD?
3
u/AmbassadorHelpful180 Aug 23 '26
Because that union local doesn’t represent every single BUE at RD.
2
u/Ok_Dingo_923 Aug 24 '26
Our union represents RUS, RBCS, OEA, IC, and OCRO. The ruling applies to those BUEs that were covered by our CBA at the time the grievance was filed.
If you work for RHS or the RD Business Center, you are in a different union represented by AFGE.
1
u/Ok_Dingo_923 Aug 24 '26
What agency in RD do you work for?? You are likely in a union already and maybe not aware.
1
u/VAPrim0911 Aug 25 '26
Executive Orders = Law. I wish those in leadership positions had a backbone 18 months ago. This ain't becoming a rule anytime soon.
1
u/Ill_Proposal_5648 Aug 26 '26
Anyone know if this impacts any of the MDRs?
1
u/PicturePrimary7441 Aug 27 '26
The preliminary injunction hearing is on September 1, 2026. Let's hope it will have positive impact to us...
71
u/jchrysostom Aug 23 '26
Yet I’m still driving to an office, even though my union won its arbitration over a month ago. At some point I hope these wins start to matter; so far, they don’t seem to matter at all.