IF YOU ARE GRIEVING THE LOSS OF TELEWORK…

think about the remedy you are requesting.  Whether citing a ULP violation for a failure to bargain to impasse before implementing telework reductions or some contract violation, the simple remedy is that you want the agency to return folks to telework until the law or contract criteria are met. However, a more appropriate remedy is to ask management to restore sick or annual leave where employees would not have had to take leave if they had remained on telework.  For example, the person who had to leave work an hour early to attend a parent-teacher conference but who would not have needed the leave if still working from home.  Ditto if they came to work late because of an early morning medical appointment. Canvas your unit for any examples because not only does that undo the tangible harm done employees, but it also means the union can claim attorney fees. If you cannot get examples before the arbitration, ask the arbitrator to establish a post-decision  claims period during which employees so harmed can petition for leave reimbursement—and the union can thereafter ask for fees.

About AdminUN

FEDSMILL staff has over 40 years of federal sector labor relations experience on the union as well as management side of the table and even some time as a neutral.
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