Three agencies continued to misapply the current SEBAC Telework agreement (DOT, DSS, and Office of the Attorney General). Although we had already prevailed in arbitration on the issue of an agency/unit "cap" on telework, all 3 agencies continued to set some type of "cap" on telework (instead of individual evaluation of telework capabilities). So A&R, along with other SEBAC unions, again filed a grievance regarding the telework non-compliance by these agencies. An arbitrator ruled this week that the agencies were in violation of the SEBAC Telework agreement and ordered these agencies to provide a full remedy to the individuals named in the grievance who had appealed their telework denials. Further, this decision rendered moot a second arbitration that was to take place this week regarding other "caps" instituted by these agencies.
Impacted employees at the identified agencies should be receiving notification from their agency about the arbitration and their new/improved telework approval. While this was a SEBAC action, we can't ignore that A&R Chief Steward Patrick Lamb along with A&R steward Sean King were instrumental in the formulation of this arbitration and in prepping witnesses for this action. It is crucial to prevail in arbitrations during the infancy of a program (such as telework) in order to establish the tone of the program going forward. Patrick and Sean carefully put together a case necessary to secure a victory and maintain the future of telework for all A&R employees. -9/9/22