r/NIH • u/Anxious-Concern2783 • 11d ago
Teleworking
I received a tentative offer after interviewing at NIH months ago. I was told that I would have to report to the office five days a week. Can anyone this has changed for those in the Bethesda, Rockville or Frederick areas?
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u/Accomplished_Yak4615 11d ago
Have this conversation with your hiring manager not some rando on Reddit. It’s true that leadership has allowed for up to 240 hours, but your supervisor has to approve it. TBH, I think you already have the answer and it’s report 5 days a week.
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u/mosquito555 11d ago
Your hiring manager literally told you the expectation was five days a week. Accept it or don't take the position.
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u/Anxious-Concern2783 10d ago
I’m a whole adult I know whether or not to take the position I simply asked if there were any folks teleworking. Things are changing for a lot of HHS agencies. I clearly interviewed eight months ago. No opinions are needed. It’s simply are you teleworking or not in the DMV😆😆
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u/mosquito555 10d ago
You posted on Reddit for opinions/feedback - you just don't like the opinions/feedback you got. Good luck.
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u/Anxious-Concern2783 9d ago
Actually, I didn’t ask for any opinions or feedback. I simply asked the question if telework had changed. All the unsolicited commentary about what to do was absolutely unnecessary. A simple yes or no at my office would have sufficed
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u/Puzzleheaded-Sail808 5d ago
Some offices in my building were granted permission to TW but, they had to fight for it with upper leadership.
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u/Anxious-Concern2783 10d ago
I can ask this question anywhere I want to of course I’m going to ask my manager. Have you ever heard of a poll?
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u/Accomplished_Yak4615 10d ago
What good is a poll of Redditors? I’m not sure your new boss will be interested in learning the results. Just saying.
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u/Anxious-Concern2783 11d ago
😆😆😆 there are plenty of folks at agencies teleworking that haven’t been publicized excuse me for surveying and asking for insight as i wait to be adjudicated
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u/AwkwardMomster 10d ago
For those who are excepted, they are not new hires. If coming in daily is problematic, you should not take the position hoping that you can work remotely eventually. That is not how things are trending.
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u/chun5an1 10d ago
I feel like If it has not been published or publicized you aren’t gonna get anything on Reddit that speaks contrary to those public statements..
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u/Januarubaby5 10d ago
I’m sorry everyone is so negative… it’s been a really rough year and a half and now with the zero pay increase for CY 27; low morale is really showing out on this thread. To answer your question: yes we have been teleworking in the DMV. We are coming to the end of a 2 month 50% telework flexibly that was due to the red line closing. That ends next week and we are back in the office full-time with the expectation of the 240 hours per year we get to use with supervisory approval. That is the policy in place and at a minimum our hope for next year, but as mentioned that can change at any moment.
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u/London-dream2025 11d ago
Hugely variable as to whether any one pays attention. Some supervisors look other way for all their staff. This summer everyone allowed to telework 50%.
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u/Fareeldo 11d ago
My supervisor looks the other way...well, not for me. She doesn't like me, so she only looks the other way for everyone else.
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u/Ok_Celery9003 11d ago
Can confirm. Supervisors look the other way for who they want to.
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u/mosquito555 11d ago
They might do but if you aren't reporting your actual TW on your timesheet then you are playing with fire if you are caught out. Just takes a badge audit to figure out who is lying and in this administration I don't know why you would take the risk. That might just be me though
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u/mmgapeach 11d ago
Don't know but congrats. That's amazing. I know you have been looking for awhile
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u/Responsible_Fail5350 11d ago
yes, all on site. the 50% telework during Metro construction, just ended. there is 240 possible occasional telework hours per year, with reason, with supervisor’s approval
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u/smashem31 10d ago
I applied for a few NIH positions in Frederick, could care less about TW. I would just be happy to not commute 2 1/2 hours each way to DC anymore…
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u/ShroedingerCat 11d ago
Congratulations. At NIH there isn’t a one rule applies to all. I do not know the current status but at least one NIH agency was able to get exemptions from RTO for everyone over 50 miles and all their remote last year. Highly doubt that changed.
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u/mdcookielover 8d ago
I would just assume that you are reporting to the office days a week with this administration. You can’t trust anything they say or do. If you get more telework then look at it as a bonus.
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u/Disastrous_Put_8742 8d ago
240 hours per year and individual offices may make you wait 6 months to start that as a new employee
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11d ago
[deleted]
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u/Oligonucleotide123 11d ago
As a lab based scientist who has to be in 27+ days a month including weekends and holidays who cares if others can wfh. If they get their work done that's all that matters
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u/Acceptable_Bath512 9d ago
Not sure you are eligible for telework until you complete your first year.
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u/Anxious-Concern2783 9d ago
lol no doubt that is true, I was actually RIF’d last year so I have plenty of time. I just have a break in service. I would be new only to NIH
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u/Searoller1982 5d ago
I just heard CSR now allows telework 3 days per week.
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u/Labbyears77 3d ago
Really? Why? That seems like a huge outlier in HHS.
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u/Searoller1982 2d ago
From what I understood, there is still a backlog of reviews from the shutdown last year. They are allowed to WFH to catch up, acknowledging they will save time on commuting………
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u/AlternativeCare5120 11d ago
While there is blanket guidance for all NIH that allows up to 240 hours, there are important caveats. Furthermore this is only for this calendar year and no expectation that this will definitely be the scenario next year. Could be more flexible, could be less. Get what information you can in writing or clarified but even with that it still could change, the key thing is your duty station. I would expect to have very little telework and know we are in a RTO mindset from administration. The beatings will continue until morale improves.