Agencies Reminded to Offer AWS to Federal Employees

June 16, 2016

OPM has reminded the agencies to offer alternative work schedules for the federal employees. This step is taken to make sure that the Metro’s 10-month SafeTrack plan doesn’t affect the work progress at the agencies as the employees face commuting difficulties. The agencies were given full freedom to adopt the AWS they liked but most of the agencies have not offered any AWS to the employees.

The Directive Shared by OPM to Help Federal employees

Metro’s 10-month SafeTrack plan has started affecting the federal employees

. OPM has reminded the agencies of the AWS system that was earlier shared in the form of a directive. On June 8, 2016, OPM sent out a memo to the agencies in which the varieties of AWS were mentioned in detail. OPM didn’t directly order the agencies to implement AWS but ensured that the agencies knew how it can be done.

The details regarding AWS such as what are the types of AWS, how it functions and different factors that needed to be considered such as premium and holiday pay were mentioned. OPM also made it clear that it is not issuing blanket decisions and that the onus is entirely on agencies.

Unique Solutions

OPM memo mentioned that the one size fits all approach would not be useful in this regard as the agencies need to decide about which AWS schedules they are adopting. The agencies are free to not adopt any AWS plan if the SafeTrack project doesn’t impact the agency mission and employees.

The Survey

The impact of SafeTrack project on federal employees was gauged via a survey conducted by Federal News Radio. The survey was carried out for three days during the first week of SafeTrack plan. It found out that almost all the feds were feeling the impact. About 85 percent of respondents said that they saw an increase in commute times.

About 50 percent of respondents admitted that their commutes had increased by more than half an hour. Around 13 percent of the respondents stated that they were spending more than an hour longer than usual during commuting.

Minimal AWS Offered

More than half of the federal employees who were surveyed admitted that their agencies have given no other option than their existing standard work schedules. About 38 percent respondents admitted that they got the option of Telework. Just 14 percent respondents stated that their agencies were offering alternate work schedules.