Hoteling, Telework, and Alternate Worksites
Telework Stance Shows Management's Hypocrisy
As illustrated in a Federal Computer Week article, Manangement permits certain managers to Telework two days per week while at the same time continuing to refuse POPA employees the same benefit. POPA President Robert Budens wrote a letter to the editor in response to the article, pointing out that using a manager who has been given more flexibility than rank and file employees to portray the Telework situation at the USPTO is misleading at best.
Request for Input on Hoteling for Part Time
Dear POPA Bargaining Unit Members,
POPA is in negotiations with the USPTO to expand the Patents Hoteling Program
(PHP) to part-time employees. We believe that this will be a win-win situation
for employees and the agency.
Management has a concern that expanding the PHP to part-time employees,
however, may result in more employees requesting part-time status, thereby reducing
the productivity of the agency. POPA does not believe that this will occur, but
we need your input.
If you are a current part-time employee or your are a full-time employee who
would change to a part-time status if you could participate in the PHP, please
take a moment to send an email to me (robert.budens@uspto.gov) and respond to the
following questions:
1) If you are a current part-time employee, would you work more, less or the
same number of hours hoteling as you currently work at the office?
2) If you answered "more" to Question 1 above, how many more hours/biweek
would you work?
3) If you are currently a full-time employee, would you want to switch to a
part-time schedule if you could participate in the PHP? (If you are a full-time
employee who would not want to switch to a part-time schedule, please do not
respond to this survey -- I can't handle 5,400 emails!)
Thank you for your help in providing us with this data. Hopefully, we will be
able to work with management and get the PHP open to part-timers.
Robert D. Budens, President
Patent Office Professional Association
POPA and management reached an agreement on two grievances involving management's hoteling program. The agreement alters certain provisions of management's program and is not a new program created jointly by POPA and management. Future discussions concerning telework, hoteling, and other alternate site work programs are expected to be part of the collective bargaining agreement negotations.
Telework Expands, Collaboration Tools to be Deployed
POPA and the USPTO agreed to a dramatic broadening of the Patents Telework Program (PTP)--enabling all GS-12 and above Patents employees with a minimum of two years of service to participate. A one-time, two-week application period will begin once the USPTO publishes the PTP announcement and application instructions in the USPTO Weekly and through the chain of command. Accepted employees can telework as soon as they complete training. For the future, the USPTO will hold four PTP application periods each year, in November, February, May and August.
In addition to expanding the PTP, it was agreed that USPTO will deploy the Multimedia Communications System (MCS or Collaboration Tools) to employees workstations. Use of the collaboration tools will be voluntary for employees at the USPTO Alexandria campus, but it is hoped that these new tools will facilitate interactions between employees at the Alexandria campus and those working at home.
Hoteling Training Video Reveals Serious Shortcomings
Management's Hoteling Program training video confirms many of POPA's concerns. POPA Assistant Secretary Pam Schwartz highlights some of the problems.
The Truth About Management's Hoteling Program
POPA President Robert Budens provides more than a few words of caution regarding the Patents Hoteling Program put in place by management.