Remote work stories from CFPB employees

CEEA employee who is not home duty stationed

I was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, which is a chronic autoimmune disease. The treatment to keep my body healthy is to shut down the part of my immune system which protects me against viruses, specifically against upper respiratory illnesses. That means I’ve been immunosuppressed since late 2019. I’ve been eligible for extra boosters, but despite having four COVID-19 vaccinations, I have no antibodies.

I don’t feel safe going into an office on a regular basis and need to have my job be fully remote. I did an internal job transfer here at the Bureau, and moved from a home duty stationed position to one that was listed in DC. During the hiring process, I was told that I would be able to adjust the location to home duty stationed after hire if I was chosen. I made a mistake in believing those promises were honest. After I was hired, I tried to start the process for extended situational telework in July 2021, and my office refused to accept my form until we got closer to the re-entry date. Because CFPB management isn’t willing to work with us, the union, I’m scrambling right now to figure out what protections I can use, submitting forms once again this week to get my situational telework approved, and running to my doctors to get documentation for reasonable accommodations. As a single mom with two young kids, it’s a lot of extra work for me that shouldn’t have to happen.

Enforcement attorney in DC area

I can’t make long-term plans for my children right now, because I don’t know where I’ll be working later this year. My husband and I are putting major financial decisions on hold because I don’t know if I’m going to have to search for a new job and how that will affect my pay if I’m not able to stay fully remote. I would have to quit CFPB if I’m not able to stay fully remote.

Examiner, who is home duty-stationed, but forced by management to relocate to a different city in the same region

An examiner who had been stationed at HQ returned to the field and had to move to his new region. They and their partner found an apartment in a small city that had relatively affordable housing and a good-sized & growing airport, and signed a lease. When they provided their manager with info on where their home-duty station would be, they said he could not live there because the airport did not meet “established standards” and ordered him to locate a home duty station closer to a large airport in a more expensive city. The examiner prepared an extensive comparison of costs to fly from each airport which showed that the airport they lived near did meet established standards and would be cheaper to use than the one management preferred, but management ordered them to move anyhow. They are now paying for $1,600/month for a 2nd residence 40 miles away from their actual home in the metro area preferred by management and must there every day in order to work from their “official duty station”.

Operations employee based in DC

Many of us have lost loved ones to this virus and many of us are still in fear for our lives. Management’s apathy and disengagement toward this collaborative process create unnecessary stress. They are putting us on a direct path of undue risk and harm to our health and well-being.

Having lost three immediate relatives since November 2021 and countless family friends to COVID-19, I am genuinely in fear of mine and my family’s life and well-being by the lack of consideration CFPB has shown.”

Examiner, who is home duty-stationed, but has temporarily relocated to care for their sick mother:

I have had several life events happen since 2020 which required me to request extended telework from 1400 miles away from my usual duty station. The first event was my sister’s hospitalization, which required me to serve as her health care surrogate, power of attorney, and caregiver.

Later in 2020 my father then had a series of health issues which required me to assist both of my parents in their home, out of state, for several months. Unfortunately, my 80 year old father, my 79 year old mother, and I all caught COVID-19 in December 2020. My father was admitted to the hospital on December 20th where he fought for his life until he could fight no longer, and passed away due to COVID-19 on January 1, 2021, just 16 days prior to his 81st Birthday.

While my father was fighting COVID-19 in the hospital, I was able to assist my 79 year old mother, battling COVID-19 from home and checking on my father each day in the hospital, while I was ill with the virus, as well.

Since my father’s passing, I continued to care for my mother while on extended telework, to help her with medical treatments of her own, to assist her with the affairs of the funeral for my father, and the settlement of my father’s estate planning.

I have spoken with my Field Manager, Assistant Regional Director, and Regional Director, all who have been supportive of me and my family during this time and I value greatly. I wish to remain an Examiner in my assigned region, as I value my work family there, while I live outside the region to care for my mother.

I had requested a permanent home duty station change in March 2021. In the meantime, while assisting my mother out of state, I continued to pay rent on my leased home and utilities, averaging $1550 a month or $18,500 year to date, while I waited to hear whether management would approve my request.

I would accept the lower locality pay here and would make adjustments to travel as needed to remain here working remotely. Without a permanent remote work agreement in place, or the ability to get my relocation approved under the current policy, I am unable to make plans beyond the next few weeks such as whether to renew my lease back in my region and continue maintaining two residences, or to permanently relocate out of state. Reaching an agreement that will allow me to keep working remotely, as I have been doing for the past 2 years, will certainly mean the world to me and my elderly mother, who is still grieving with my father’s passing just a little over a year ago.

Examiner, who is home duty-stationed, and has become a caretaker for her elderly mother

I’ve been able to help care for my elderly mother while working from home during the pandemic. If examiners are forced to return to exam travel then I won’t be able to take care of my mother, or I would be bringing risk to her from the road. I have other family with high risk conditions that I help care for in her household. I do not want to bring them COVID-19. I am also immunocompromised and have to request a reasonable accommodation to protect myself.