The Social Security Administration on Monday informed employees of its various subcomponents that it will move forward with new cuts to telework policies, a move quickly decried by union officials who said they were left out of the notification process.
Shortly after noon, the agency sent vague statements to the press and union officials announcing that it would make telework changes to “improve service,” effective March 2. Last fall, the Federal Service Impasses Panel imposed a contract giving management broad leeway to change the terms of telework programs as the agency sees fit.
“The agency is notifying our unions and employees today, January 27, about changes in the telework program,” wrote agency spokesman Mark Hinkle. “The agency is making changes to telework because public service comes first. Each deputy commissioner was responsible for determining what employee positions are eligible to telework and the number of permitted telework days.”
Hinkle declined to provide additional information about the cuts to Government Executive.
“We are communicating the specifics directly with our employees and our unions,” he said. “Union representatives are invited to these discussions. Telework eligibility and frequency may vary depending on organizational deliverables as we work to improve service. This applies in components across the agency.”
Rich Couture, who serves both as a spokesman for the American Federation of Government Employees’ general committee representing Social Security employees and president of AFGE Council 215, which represents workers at the agency’s hearings and appeals offices, said management similarly rejected his own efforts to learn about the changes, and that he spent much of his afternoon in meetings and working with fellow union representatives to cobble together a list of the reforms across the agency.
“I’ve got to tell you, the depth of disrespect and disregard for AFGE wit ..
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