{"id":19266,"date":"2019-11-19T18:48:08","date_gmt":"2019-11-19T18:48:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/federaltimes\/uncategorized\/2019\/11\/19\/federal-mediator-puts-the-breaks-on-social-security-telework-cuts\/"},"modified":"2026-08-08T04:48:57","modified_gmt":"2026-08-08T04:48:57","slug":"federal-mediator-puts-the-breaks-on-social-security-telework-cuts","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/federaltimes\/management\/2019\/11\/19\/federal-mediator-puts-the-breaks-on-social-security-telework-cuts\/","title":{"rendered":"Federal mediator puts the brakes on Social Security telework cuts"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The Social Security Administration\u2019s unilateral push<\/a> to gain sole discretion of employees\u2019 ability to telework hit a roadblock Nov. 14, as the chairman of the Federal Service Impasse Panel determined that the agency had not demonstrated sufficient need to change employee work and therefore roll back telework provisions at the Office of Hearings Operation in collective bargaining agreements.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bargaining on a new contract between the National Treasury Employees Union and SSA began in February 2018, and while the agency and union were able to come to an agreement on most contract articles, they disagreed on the administration of telework at the agency.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The prior work arrangement for bargaining unit employees enabled them to work three to four days a week on telework, and NTEU pointed to Office of Inspector General findings<\/a> that the agency achieved a reduction in its backlog during the telework pilot as evidence of the program\u2019s efficacy.<\/p>\n\n\n\t