Snow may snarl DC commutes
December 16th, 2010 | Office of Personnel Management | Posted by Stephen Losey
Right on cue, Washington’s first actual snowfall of the season has arrived, a day after Office of Personnel Management Director John Berry outlined a new unscheduled teleworking option. The National Weather Service has a winter weather advisory in effect and is predicting 1 to 2 inches of snow.
(Yes, all you feds in South Dakota, I can hear you laughing from here.)
This could affect the afternoon rush hour, NWS said: “Be prepared for slippery roads and limited visibilities, and use caution when driving.” What NWS leaves politely unsaid is that DC drivers are legendary for forgetting how to drive during the slightest bit of snow. (In that respect, at least, Washington truly is a Southern city.) So be careful out there — with a bit of caution, there’s no reason to fear driving in the snow, but you never know if the driver one lane over has lost his mind.
This is the kind of scenario in which Berry said unscheduled telework could help. If an eligible federal employee’s kid’s school closes early — for instance, Fairfax County, Va. schools will close two hours early today — he could leave the office, meet his child at home, and telework for the rest of the day. (Feds who are concerned about lousy snowbound traffic could also leave early to beat the rush and make up the rest of their hours at home, he said.)
What do you think, feds? Does unscheduled telework sound like a good plan to you? Are you seeing any snow at your office yet?
Tags: John Berry, Snow
Comments
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mark Says:
December 16th, 2010 at 10:34 amMeeting your child at home only works if they are over the age of 12, we are not permitted to telework without another adult on hand to care for any child under the age of 12.
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Fedline » OPM declares unscheduled leave or telework for snowbound Washington feds Says:
December 16th, 2010 at 1:27 pm[...] leave or unscheduled telework.” This means that if you want to leave early to beat the snowbound traffic, you’ll have to take leave, or telework once you get home to make up for the hours [...]
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Jo Says:
December 16th, 2010 at 6:09 pmI hope this applies to all grades and not just the GS 11′s and above.