The Metrorail system will be undergoing renovation from May 25 through Labor Day. As such there will be no Metro train service to the King Street station thtis summer. Alternate Transit Service.
Last Friday, May 17, the Agency sent a couple of emails to employees regarding the Metro shutdown which begins May 25. You will want to take a look at the agreement to see the actual telework flexibilities available to POPA bargaining unit members. To take advantage of these flexibilities, you will need to talk to your supervisor. You might want to then send an email to your supervisor summarizing what you agreed to as far as changes to your work schedule or telework. If you think you have been unfairly denied flexibility, you can contact POPA at metro@popa.org <mailto:metro@popa.org> . Please include your full name, AU, GS level, time at the office as well as what you requested and what you were granted and not granted.
For flexibilities available to POPA-covered employees, please see the entire agreement
Here is a summary of the telework flexibilities available to POPA-covered employees (sections 9 and 10 from the agreement):
Telework Flexibilities for Patent Examiners and others in Patents: Additional telework opportunities will be provided to employees affected by the closure as described below:
a. PTP 10 participants will be allowed to telework up to 20 hours per bi-week. Employees may use these hours to work full or partial days (split between the Alexandria Headquarters and the alternate work site) at the alternate work site.
b. PTP 20 participants with equipment will be allowed to telework up to 40 hours per bi-week . Employees may use these hours to work full or partial days (split between the Alexandria Headquarters and the alternate work site) at the alternate work site.
c. PTP 32 participants will be allowed additional telework up to 80 hours per bi-week. Compensatory time and credit hours worked at the alternate worksite will not count towards the 32 hour cap. If the agreement ends in the middle of a biweek, participants will be permitted to telework up to 32 hours during the remainder of the biweek.
d. Program B participants may be allowed to telework additional days and/or hours. Employees may use the additional telework time to work full or partial days (split between Alexandria Headquarters and the alternate work site) at the alternate work site.
Except as noted in paragraph c. above regarding PTP 32, individual programs' rules regarding overtime and compensatory time will remain in effect.
Telework Flexibilities for Other POPA-covered Employees:
Each component of the Agency must maintain service to both internal and external customers. Additional telework opportunities listed below may be revoked by the Agency if it determines that the level of service provided has diminished due to additional telework provided in accordance with this agreement.
Participants in programs that allow extra telework may be required to adjust telework days based on office needs, with advanced notice at least the day before.
• OCIO: Teleworking Employees in the OCIO may select an additional day as a routine day for telework. This day must be the same day each week and, as with the current telework days, may only be changed with supervisory approval. For example: Current 1 telework day/week may increase to 2 days/week; Current 2 telework days/week may increase to 3 days/week; Current situational telework may increase to, but not exceed, 1 routine telework day/week total.
• OCFO: Employees may request additional days under the existing telework programs, but participants are already allowed to telework to the extent that the needs of the office permit.
• PTAB: Flexibility within current program to add days with supervisory approval.
• OPIA: Flexibility within current program to add days with supervisory approval.
• OGC: Flexibility within current program to add days with supervisory approval.
Alternate Transit Summary:
There will now also be five free express and local shuttles to meet demand. WMATA has added the Landmark Mall to Pentagon shuttle. The King Street Trolley will also run beginning at 9 a.m. on the weekends and beginning at 6:45 a.m. through the week.
Service has also been added to the DASH bus service with peak service mobile fare at $1 on all DASH routes, including the AT3 and AT4.
Metro plans to run shuttles every five minutes during rush hour and every 10 minutes other times. Those shuttles include:
- Express shuttle buses between Franconia-Springfield and Pentagon (starting 15 minutes before the Metro system usually opens, ending 30 minutes after the system usually closes).
- Express shuttle buses between Huntington and Pentagon (starting 15 minutes before the Metro system usually opens, ending 30 minutes after the system usually closes).
- Local shuttle buses between Franconia-Springfield, Van Dorn Street, King Street and Reagan National Airport (No stop at Braddock Road, starts 30 minutes before Metro usually opens, ends 30 minutes after Metro usually closes).
- Local shuttle buses between Huntington, Eisenhower Avenue, King Street, Braddock Road and Crystal City. (No stop at Reagan National, starts 30 minutes before Metro usually opens, ends 30 minutes after Metro usually closes).
The water taxi will also be providing four round-trips from Alexandria to the Wharf, beginning at 6:40 a.m.