Elon Musk Sends Federal Workers a Mass-Email Asking Them What They Actually Accomplished In the Past Week

I don't know if this is a real question or a rhetorical one, but maybe it will spur some deadweight to clear out and spur others to focus more on their jobs.

Some Trump-appointed heads of departments, like Kash Patel, are actually advising workers to ignore the email, or "pause their response," at least.

Elon Musk is finding himself locked in a power struggle with top Trump administration officials over an out-of-the-blue email blast to federal workers Saturday demanding that they list their professional accomplishments last week -- or risk being fired.
Multiple Trump-appointed agency and department heads -- including the Department of Defense, State Department and FBI -- have instructed their employees to ignore the email despite the billionaire's public warning that "failure to respond" by 11:59 p.m. Monday "will be taken as a resignation."
In an email Saturday, Trump loyalist and newly-minted FBI Director Kash Patel instructed his staff to "pause any response."
"FBI personnel may have received an email from OPM requesting information," Patel said.
"The FBI, through the Office of the Director, is in charge of all of our review processes, and will conduct reviews in accordance with FBI procedures. When and if further information is required, we will coordinate the responses. For now, please pause any response."

Musk's Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) has already pushed for sweeping personnel cuts across the government, with the latest move raising concerns that the Tesla CEO intends to make more personnel decisions based on replies to the missive.
"If Elon Musk truly wants to understand what federal workers accomplished over the past week, he should get to know each department and agency, and learn about the jobs he's trying to cut," moderate Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) griped on X.

"Our public workforce deserves to be treated with dignity and respect for the unheralded jobs they perform. The absurd weekend email to justify their existence wasn't it."

Of course Lisa Murkowski objects. The GOP should censure her, not just for this but for being clearly a Democrat on every single issue.

The liberal Senator from Utah -- why do Mormons keep electing liberals? -- also urges Musk to have more "compassion" for federal workers.

Speaking on CBS's "Face the Nation" on Sunday, Sen. John Curtis (R-Utah) said the SpaceX billionaire needs to have more compassion.
"I don't think this is a request that is that difficult," Sen. Curtis said, before adding that it also doesn't need to "be so cold and hard."
"Let's put a little compassion and, quite frankly, dignity, in this as well," he said.
Trump, meanwhile, is standing behind Musk in full force.

Yes, definitely, let's have more compassion for these hardworking stewards of the public fisc.

The "intelligence community" is one of the most powerful parts of the American national security apparatus. In theory, it works tirelessly to keep the nation safe. But according to internal documents that we obtained, some intelligence agency employees have another on-the-job priority: sex chats.
We have cultivated sources within the National Security Agency--one current employee and one former employee--who have provided chat logs from the NSA's Intelink messaging program. According to an NSA press official, "All NSA employees sign agreements stating that publishing non-mission related material on Intelink is a usage violation and will result in disciplinary action." Nonetheless, these logs, dating back two years, are lurid, featuring wide-ranging discussions of sex, kink, polyamory, and castration.
One popular chat topic was male-to-female transgender surgery, which involves surgically removing the penis and turning it into an artificial vagina. "[M]ine is everything," said one male who claimed to have had gender reconstruction surgery. "[I]'ve found that i like being penetrated (never liked it before GRS), but all the rest is just as important as well." Another intelligence official boasted that genital surgery allowed him "to wear leggings or bikinis without having to wear a gaff under it."
These employees discussed hair removal, estrogen injections, and the experience of sexual pleasure post-castration. "[G]etting my butthole zapped by a laser was . . . shocking," said one transgender-identifying intel employee who spent thousands on hair removal. "Look, I just enjoy helping other people experience boobs," said another about estrogen treatments. "[O]ne of the weirdest things that gives me euphoria is when i pee, i don't have to push anything down to make sure it aims right," a Defense Intelligence Agency employee added.
These revelations come at a moment of heightened scrutiny for the intelligence community. President Donald Trump, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, and Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard have each made the case that the intelligence agencies have gone "woke," prioritizing left-wing activism over national security. These chat logs confirm their suspicions and raise fundamental questions about competence and professionalism.
According to our sources, the sex chats were legitimized as part of the NSA's commitment to "diversity, equity and inclusion." Activists within the agency used LGBTQ+ "employee resource groups" to turn their kinks and pathologies into official work duties. According to the current NSA employee, these groups "spent all day" recruiting activists and holding meetings with titles such as "Privilege," "Ally Awareness," "Pride," and "Transgender Community Inclusion." And they did so with the full support of NSA leadership, which declared that DEI was "not only mission critical, but mission imperative."

Comments

(Jump to bottom of comments)

1 FIRST!!!!!

Posted by: Sponge - F*ck Cancer at February 24, 2025 05:03 PM (Zz0t1)

2 #Winning

Posted by: Sponge - F*ck Cancer at February 24, 2025 05:03 PM (Zz0t1)

3 I'll summon the lums.

Posted by: Sponge - F*ck Cancer at February 24, 2025 05:03 PM (Zz0t1)

4 Awwww...hatin' on me.

Posted by: Sponge - F*ck Cancer at February 24, 2025 05:03 PM (Zz0t1)

5 And, it's back.

Posted by: Sponge - F*ck Cancer at February 24, 2025 05:04 PM (Zz0t1)

6 Nice win, Sponge.

Posted by: Grumpy and Recalcitrant at February 24, 2025 05:04 PM (O7YUW)

7 Nonetheless, these logs, dating back two years, are lurid, featuring wide-ranging discussions of sex, kink, polyamory, and castration.

All the people participating in these discussions have security clearances, BTW.

Posted by: The ARC of History! at February 24, 2025 05:04 PM (uxCna)

8
Ace didn't include the Babylon Bee take on this.

Posted by: Soothsayer at February 24, 2025 05:04 PM (kvigd)

9 Well, porn doesn't surf itself!

Posted by: Federal Workers everywhere at February 24, 2025 05:05 PM (N39Ws)

10 Was just talking with the lady across the street and her son is a contractor on a military base. He's all pissed off because Trump has required all workers to go to the office.

Poor baby......

Posted by: Sponge - F*ck Cancer at February 24, 2025 05:05 PM (Zz0t1)

11 Nice win, Sponge.
Posted by: Grumpy and Recalcitrant at February 24, 2025 05:04 PM (O7YUW)

*fistbump*

Appreciated, sir.

Posted by: Sponge - F*ck Cancer at February 24, 2025 05:05 PM (Zz0t1)

12 DOD told employees to ignore the Musk email.. Hegseth where are you?

Posted by: I'm Gumby Damn It! at February 24, 2025 05:05 PM (w4nzS)

13 The last month has made it clear that the fundamental divine in American society is between people who receive money from the government and people who pay money to the government.

Posted by: The ARC of History! at February 24, 2025 05:05 PM (uxCna)

14 "Elon Musk is finding himself locked in a power struggle with top Trump administration officials..."

Uh-huh.

Posted by: davidt at February 24, 2025 05:06 PM (i0F8b)

15 The email is legit - came from OPM. OPM clarified this afternoon that the answer is optional and failure to do so does not constitute resignation.

Today was supposed to be the return to full time deadline for some folks, but it got pushed back to next Monday for some reason or other.

So folks tell me, fwiw.

Posted by: Zombie Robbo the Llama Butcher at February 24, 2025 05:06 PM (LxER7)

16 Bet most couldn't answer truthfully

Posted by: Skip at February 24, 2025 05:06 PM (fwDg9)

17 We have to protect our phoney baloney jobs here, gentlemen! We must do something about this immediately! Immediately! Immediately! Harrumph! Harrumph! Harrumph!

Posted by: Taggart at February 24, 2025 05:07 PM (HcoTw)

18 There are some jobs you can mostly do from home - software dev, paper pusher, etc.

But most government jobs theoretically involve working with people or doing something physical - maintaining a forest, guarding a building, inspecting products crossing the border, etc.

If 94% of them are WFH does that mean that basically 6% of the federal workforce does all the work the feds are supposedly going?

Posted by: 18-1 at February 24, 2025 05:07 PM (t0Rmr)

19 What is it you would say you do here?

Posted by: Bob & Bob at February 24, 2025 05:07 PM (GDrd7)

20 I am so tired today

Posted by: vmom deport deport deport at February 24, 2025 05:08 PM (GDrd7)

21
1. Slept 'til noon.
2. Sponge bath.
3. Went to work at the strip club.
4. Partied with Hunter & got wasted.
5. Went to an all-you-can-eat buffet and put on another 30 pounds.

Posted by: ShainS -- DOGE should be renamed Federal Agency for Financial Oversight (FAFO) at February 24, 2025 05:08 PM (SJp0K)

22
Musk reiterated Monday that employees had over a month to comply with Trump's executive order. Those still refusing to return to the office this week will face administrative leave

Yeah they can't fire all of us if we stick together.

Reagan fired every FAA union member that time..

Posted by: I'm Gumby Damn It! at February 24, 2025 05:08 PM (w4nzS)

23 I heard it said, there are people still "on the books" at federal agencies, who don't actually work for the gov anymore (if they ever did).

So the idea would be, if you don't respond to the email, it means you don't actually work for the government, and they can cull a bunch of names off the lists that way.

I don't know if they're suggesting there are people drawing salaries, who don't actually work for the government, or just phantom names.

Posted by: BurtTC at February 24, 2025 05:08 PM (dGCAG)

24 All the people participating in these discussions have security clearances, BTW.

I did wonder how the pervert who likes to steal women's clothing that Biden put in charge of our nuclear waste programs ever got a security clearance.

The question is not whether he has been compromised by a foreign intelligence agency, but how many foreign intelligence agencies he has been compromised by.

Posted by: The ARC of History! at February 24, 2025 05:08 PM (uxCna)

25 "What is it you would say you do here?"

"I help zee doctor!"

Posted by: Ingrid at February 24, 2025 05:08 PM (i0F8b)

26 I'm sick of the entitlement of these jackasses. I don't care if one can work remotely. If the company says, "you either show up in the office or you're terminated," one needs to make a decision.

Posted by: blake - semi lurker in marginal standing (tT6L1) at February 24, 2025 05:08 PM (tT6L1)

27 Is Musk trolling the entire federal workforce with this, or what

did Trump okay this

Posted by: Don Black. Message: I care at February 24, 2025 05:08 PM (AOsQT)

28 Anyone who can't answer a quick question about 5 things they did in their job last week should be fired, stat.
1. Answered dozens of emails from superiors
2. Addressed questions from outside vendors, including XYZ.
3. worked on ongoing ABC project.
4. Attended 3 meetings called by superiors.
5. Wrote memo regarding prices of widgets.

Posted by: LASue at February 24, 2025 05:08 PM (lCppi)

29 The media continues to create drama.
They really are worse than pimps.

Posted by: Mark Andrew Edwards, buy ammo at February 24, 2025 05:09 PM (xcxpd)

30 51 Intelligence community said Hunter's lap top was a Russian plant

Posted by: Skip at February 24, 2025 05:09 PM (fwDg9)

31 Musk reiterated Monday that employees had over a month to comply with Trump's executive order. Those still refusing to return to the office this week will face administrative leave.
-----

Fedgov workers: Fuck em, they can't fire us all!

Can they?

Uh oh...

Posted by: OneEyedJack at February 24, 2025 05:09 PM (FCbAQ)

32 “I had no idea it was this bad!”

Posted by: Congress RINOs who have spent decades refusing to look at how bad it is at February 24, 2025 05:09 PM (GXB4V)

33 I'm sure there are a lot of Americans willing to work on-site at a legit govment job... For less than what is currently paid.

When are the replacement positions being posted?

Posted by: Wardo at February 24, 2025 05:10 PM (h8Giw)

34 I've seen the actual e-mail.
Pretty damn mundane and is not signed, no name, or attribution.

It's but a one-liner.

Posted by: Itinerant Alley Butcher at February 24, 2025 05:10 PM (/lPRQ)

35 "...the sex chats were legitimized as part of the NSA's commitment to "diversity, equity and inclusion."

What an absolute crock of crap. I really hope this is some kind of Intel op because as long as these perverts are doing this, while on the job, then no one is doing the job. And how many people is that going to get killed at some point down the road?

Posted by: Diogenes at February 24, 2025 05:10 PM (W/lyH)

36 27 Is Musk trolling the entire federal workforce with this, or what

did Trump okay this
Posted by: Don Black
=======
They were using the emails apparently as pings to detect ghosts-deceased, retired, fake etc. that were still drawing agency paychecks.

Posted by: whig at February 24, 2025 05:10 PM (ctrM5)

37 Nice win, Sponge.
Posted by: Grumpy and Recalcitrant at February 24, 2025 05:04 PM (O7YUW)

It's nice to see for a change, he never gets any firsts.

Posted by: BurtTC at February 24, 2025 05:10 PM (dGCAG)

38 They're going to "fix the glitch"

Posted by: banana Dream at February 24, 2025 05:10 PM (cduTK)

39 You just make these people work and they'll fire themselves.

My guess is there's more than just trolling here. It's legally setting them up for a case of just cause termination.

Your boss asks you to document what you've been doing and you refuse with a middle finger, that gets you fired in in 100% of private sector jobs.

Posted by: Leupold at February 24, 2025 05:10 PM (4pwAx)

40 Anyone who can't answer a quick question about 5 things they did in their job last week should be fired, stat.
1. Answered dozens of emails from superiors
2. Addressed questions from outside vendors, including XYZ.
3. worked on ongoing ABC project.
4. Attended 3 meetings called by superiors.
5. Wrote memo regarding prices of widgets.

Posted by: LASue at February 24, 2025 05:08 PM (lCppi)
---
A fair number of people can cram all that into ONE DAY, let alone an entire week...

Posted by: "Perfessor" Squirrel at February 24, 2025 05:10 PM (7fElN)

41 This shouldn't be surprising. At various embassies, the ambassador would call an all staff meeting once a week, and we were required to brief him and everyone else on what we had done the week before and what our "goals" were for the following week/month. It could be tedious, it could be fun - like my reporting on being offered a giant black and gold clam shell shaped jacuzzi for the embassy compound in Kuwait for free from a Kuwaiti bath supply dealer. I had to decline because it was "over the cash limit" for a gift from a foreign official/person. Also, it was hideous.

Posted by: Moki at February 24, 2025 05:10 PM (wLjpr)

42 What's amusing is the "5 things I did" is also a trap for department heads.

Enough workers respond by listing all of the mandatory DEI training courses they had to attend, someone is going to be sweating.

Posted by: blake - semi lurker in marginal standing (tT6L1) at February 24, 2025 05:11 PM (tT6L1)

43 Five items. Literally one thing per day. If you can't come up with one thing you accomplished of note each and every day you were on the clock, what is the use of you?

Posted by: Brother Tim (102mm/W59), Keeper of the Tim Continuum at February 24, 2025 05:11 PM (OUMaO)

44 >>> spur others to focus more on their jobs

Err, I kind of prefer it if they do nothing. For now at least.

I don't think we should be promoting the person who wrote the most grants to LGBTQI groups in Africa or whatever it is their job is.

We can re-train the lazy ones with at least some success. The ones that need to go are the true believers and deep staters.

Posted by: Harry Paratestes at February 24, 2025 05:11 PM (uCjyK)

45 Fedgov workers: Fuck em, they can't fire us all!

Can they?

Uh oh...
Posted by: OneEyedJack
======
You might want to ask PATCO affiliated air controllers.

Posted by: whig at February 24, 2025 05:11 PM (ctrM5)

46 I think what Kash means is " I'll clear out my dead weight myself"

Posted by: steevy at February 24, 2025 05:11 PM (KQk9m)

47 >> The question is not whether he has been compromised by a foreign intelligence agency, but how many foreign intelligence agencies he has been compromised by.

The word you’re looking for is “penetrated”..

Posted by: Congress RINOs who have spent decades refusing to look at how bad it is at February 24, 2025 05:11 PM (GXB4V)

48 "Let's put a little compassion and, quite frankly, dignity, in this as well," he said.

Like the energy workers were shown compassion and, quite frankly, dignity. Or the people who lost their jobs over the death shot. Or the people who lost their jobs to off-shoring (yeah, business take most of the blame there but government is the ones who made it attractive). Or the people who lost their service industry jobs to the shutdowns.

Or is it only, and always, government drones who must be shown compassion?

Posted by: I used to have a different nic at February 24, 2025 05:11 PM (ExV1e)

49 These jobs are "unheralded?" The Press has been "heralding" them for the better part of a decade.

Posted by: Alec Leamas at February 24, 2025 05:11 PM (ssz2a)

50 15 The email is legit - came from OPM. OPM clarified this afternoon that the answer is optional and failure to do so does not constitute resignation.

Today was supposed to be the return to full time deadline for some folks, but it got pushed back to next Monday for some reason or other.

So folks tell me, fwiw.
Posted by: Zombie Robbo the Llama Butcher at February 24, 2025 05:06 PM (LxER7)

Yes...this was due to union notification requirements...apparently...

Posted by: Nova Local at February 24, 2025 05:11 PM (exHjb)

51 Compassion, dignity, empathy , sympathy , come together. Words to turn people into herd animals. Beautiful things if you do do them as individuals, if you think politicians are being truthful about it you're a fool .

Posted by: Smell the Glove at February 24, 2025 05:11 PM (cMcMn)

52 I don't know about feds but in our county government, Friday after 12:00 is spent talking to each other about what they will do on the weekend. Mondays 8-12:00 is spent talking to each other about what they will did on the weekend. At anytime before 7:59 our after 4:01 you can empty your pistol in a county building and have zero fear you will hit anyone.

I have to think it is much worse at the state and federal level as you get farther away from the public.

Posted by: Jukin the Deplorable a Clear and Present Danger at February 24, 2025 05:11 PM (17s+e)

53 Administration leave means paid vacation

Posted by: Skip at February 24, 2025 05:11 PM (fwDg9)

54 5. Wrote memo regarding prices of widgets.

Posted by: LASue

And that doesn’t even include my contributions as a commenter here.

Posted by: Kratwurst at February 24, 2025 05:11 PM (nIRE6)

55 "Let's put a little compassion and, quite frankly, dignity, in this as well," he said.

Every day the federal government squanders more of our tax dollars raising inflation, taking money away from workers, and saddling our grand children with debt.

Where is your compassion for the working people of America Sen Curtis? Why can't you express a little bit for them?

Posted by: 18-1 at February 24, 2025 05:11 PM (t0Rmr)

56 But the media enjoys looking for any "conflict" in the asministration.

Posted by: steevy at February 24, 2025 05:11 PM (KQk9m)

57 Compassion for people that want me dead? Fuck you “senator”.

Posted by: Its Go Time Donald at February 24, 2025 05:12 PM (yxfMP)

58 These republican nay sayers need to STFU, this is probably our only chance to shrink government.

I have no compassion for them anyway.

Posted by: Seems Legit at February 24, 2025 05:12 PM (FZvrd)

59 What an absolute crock of crap. I really hope this is some kind of Intel op because as long as these perverts are doing this, while on the job, then no one is doing the job. And how many people is that going to get killed at some point down the road?
Posted by: Diogenes at February 24, 2025 05:10 PM (W/lyH)
---
Even worse--how many people have already died as a direct result of this outrageous behavior?

Posted by: "Perfessor" Squirrel at February 24, 2025 05:12 PM (7fElN)

60 They were using the emails apparently as pings to detect ghosts-deceased, retired, fake etc. that were still drawing agency paychecks.
Posted by: whig at February 24, 2025 05:10 PM (ctrM5)

I suspect most of the people who don't respond are not getting paychecks. They just don't work for the government. But if there are people getting paid, and do no work, I would think felony charges are in order.

Posted by: BurtTC at February 24, 2025 05:12 PM (dGCAG)

61 Republicans need to team up with a Democrat candidate in Alaska and just get rid of Murkowsi.

Posted by: Leupold at February 24, 2025 05:12 PM (4pwAx)

62
moderate Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) griped on X.

"Our public workforce deserves to be treated with dignity and respect for the unheralded jobs they perform.

------

What about the unperformed jobs they're heralded for?

Posted by: Semi-Literate Thug at February 24, 2025 05:12 PM (L78T1)

63 The guidance for the gov people I work with is to pause on their responses.

Posted by: steven at February 24, 2025 05:13 PM (SBQD7)

64 Speaking of people losing their jobs because of gross incompetence (heavy on the gross) . . .

https://is.gd/yM2g1C

Posted by: Anonosaurus Wrecks, Covfefe Today, Covfefe Tomorrow, Covfefe Forever! at February 24, 2025 05:13 PM (L/fGl)

65 "Look, I just enjoy helping other people experience boobs,"

Well, that's a very moron response....

Posted by: Stateless...49% - mental state clawing up from 10% at February 24, 2025 05:13 PM (jvJvP)

66 Looks like Sen Curtis borrowed the stick Mitt Romney had up his ass

Posted by: 18-1 at February 24, 2025 05:13 PM (t0Rmr)

67 Thank you whig- that sounds plausible

unrelated:

Politics · Trending
Trump is a Russian
10.9K posts

Posted by: Don Black. Message: I care at February 24, 2025 05:13 PM (AOsQT)

68 It’s not a big deal to write up a summary of what you accomplished over the past week, ffs. Unless a pyrsyn is engaged in activities other than professional.

Posted by: kallisto at February 24, 2025 05:13 PM (jznp7)

69 27 Is Musk trolling the entire federal workforce with this, or what

did Trump okay this
Posted by: Don Black. Message: I care at February 24, 2025 05:08 PM (AOsQT)

It will quickly identify Trump's reliable team players (regardless of the fed's politics). It's a smart move that way...

Posted by: Nova Local at February 24, 2025 05:13 PM (exHjb)

70 55 "Let's put a little compassion and, quite frankly, dignity, in this as well," he said.

Every day the federal government squanders more of our tax dollars raising inflation, taking money away from workers, and saddling our grand children with debt.

Where is your compassion for the working people of America Sen Curtis? Why can't you express a little bit for them?
Posted by: 18-1
=======
There is a reason why Curtis is the way that he is. Open Borders is big business.

Posted by: whig at February 24, 2025 05:13 PM (ctrM5)

71 When I retired civil service and first became an IC (independent contractor) for my segment of the government, they instituted a new policy, whereby we had to give a monthly 'highlights' report of our significant activities. We were being paid $200,000/yr. I was new and thought that was pretty reasonable. The established ICs were outraged and up in arms. "How dare they question our value!"

Posted by: goatexchange at February 24, 2025 05:14 PM (hyS0X)

72 I did wonder how the pervert who likes to steal women's clothing that Biden put in charge of our nuclear waste programs ever got a security clearance.

I knew someone who was fairly high up in the Clinton Administration who mentioned that a lot of the people Clinton was appointing were having problems getting security clearances, due to youthful participation in radical activities.

That seems so innocent and naive, compared to what is tolerated today.

Posted by: The ARC of History! at February 24, 2025 05:14 PM (uxCna)

73 Was just talking with the lady across the street and her son is a contractor on a military base. He's all pissed off because Trump has required all workers to go to the office.

Poor baby......
Posted by: Sponge - F*ck Cancer

Po'd because he's got the Contracting Officer looking over his shoulder now.

Posted by: Itinerant Alley Butcher at February 24, 2025 05:14 PM (/lPRQ)

74 Kind of tired of these GOP fags with their "civility" the left has no civility towards their enemies when they are in power.

Posted by: steevy at February 24, 2025 05:14 PM (KQk9m)

75 Politics · Trending
Trump is a Russian

==

Agent Krasnov!

Posted by: runner at February 24, 2025 05:14 PM (g47mK)

76 being offered a giant black and gold clam shell shaped jacuzzi for the embassy compound in Kuwait for free

mfw still no free Kuwaiti black and gold clam shell jacuzzi.
why even live

Posted by: gKWVE at February 24, 2025 05:14 PM (gKWVE)

77 If you're early, you're on time.
If you're on time, you're late.
If you're late, you're fired.

If you're one month late, you're... still employed?

Yeah, that's not how this is going to work.

Posted by: AnonyBotymousDrivel at February 24, 2025 05:14 PM (aXxgO)

78 Musk believes there are many federal employees who do not exist or do not read their e-mails because they do no work. These are who he is trying to cull with this e-mail status response. DOGE isn't going to read everyone's status. They are merely looking for actual replies.

Posted by: JTSmith at February 24, 2025 05:14 PM (5qng6)

79 Is Musk trolling the entire federal workforce with this, or what

did Trump okay this
Posted by: Don Black. Message: I care at February 24, 2025 05:08 PM (AOsQT)

"ELON IS DOING A GREAT JOB, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE HIM GET MORE AGGRESSIVE. REMEMBER, WE HAVE A COUNTRY TO SAVE, BUT ULTIMATELY, TO MAKE GREATER THAN EVER BEFORE. MAGA!"

https://tinyurl.com/yyjpbj49+

Posted by: I used to have a different nic at February 24, 2025 05:14 PM (ExV1e)

80 Speaking on CBS's "Face the Nation" on Sunday, Sen. John Curtis (R-Utah) said the SpaceX billionaire needs to have more compassion.
"I don't think this is a request that is that difficult," Sen. Curtis said, before adding that it also doesn't need to "be so cold and hard."

"Let's put a little compassion and, quite frankly, dignity, in this as well," he said.

-------------------------------------

We can hire some actors at scale to weep quietly in the corner as we sack their asses. Our IC is the most incompetent in the world.

Posted by: Oldcat at February 24, 2025 05:14 PM (n7h9X)

81 Reagan fired the striking air traffic controllers even thought they were unionized (PATCO). Pretty sure Trump through Musk will be able to fire employees who won't show up.

Posted by: Cosda at February 24, 2025 05:15 PM (/3fT+)

82 If 94% of them are WFH does that mean that basically 6% of the federal workforce does all the work the feds are supposedly going?
Posted by: 18-1 at February 24, 2025 05:07 PM (t0Rmr)

The vast majority of government jobs are make work jobs.

"I scan the 83(b) forms sent to this PO box in Oklahoma. My co-worker organizes them. My other co-worker integrates them in to the IRS's system. We have 3 IT people and 5 laborers."

You might think "Well, why can't the tax payer just scan it directly to the IRS on their own?"

"Shut up" they explain.

These make work jobs exist at every level of government all across the country.

Posted by: Harry Paratestes at February 24, 2025 05:15 PM (uCjyK)

83 I suspect most of the people who don't respond are not getting paychecks. They just don't work for the government. But if there are people getting paid, and do no work, I would think felony charges are in order.
Posted by: BurtTC
======
Defunct/fake employee addresses would bounce back re bad addresses.

Posted by: whig at February 24, 2025 05:15 PM (ctrM5)

84
The best way to make people crawl out of the woodwork is stop paying them.

Posted by: Soothsayer at February 24, 2025 05:15 PM (kvigd)

85 Wait is Drumpf literally Hitler or a Russian?I'm confused.

Posted by: steevy at February 24, 2025 05:15 PM (KQk9m)

86 Enough workers respond by listing all of the mandatory DEI training courses they had to attend, someone is going to be sweating.
Posted by: blake - semi lurker in marginal standing (tT6L1) at February 24, 2025 05:11 PM (tT6L1)

As I said over the weekend, I've had shitty supervisors, who don't really do any work, and then one day they get all desperate for employees to write down how they spend their time.

Well, in addition to doing my job, I guess I have to do YOUR job too, because if you spent less time flirting with the custodians and mail room clerks, you'd see me doing my job, and I wouldn't have to write anything down for you.

Posted by: BurtTC at February 24, 2025 05:15 PM (dGCAG)

87 What an absolute crock of crap. I really hope this is some kind of Intel op because as long as these perverts are doing this, while on the job, then no one is doing the job. And how many people is that going to get killed at some point down the road?
Posted by: Diogenes at February 24, 2025 05:10 PM (W/lyH)

You mean how many of the little people will be killed.
As long as it's not their ox, gore away.

Posted by: OneEyedJack at February 24, 2025 05:15 PM (FCbAQ)

88
I smoke two joints in the morning
I smoke two joints at night
I smoke two joints in the afternoon
And it makes me...

Wait, dat seex things, mon. I am overachiever!

Posted by: Blob Marley at February 24, 2025 05:15 PM (vFG9F)

89 Part of the reason Musk did this was because of the number of workers on the payroll who don't actually work for the government

If you don't work for the government, you don't read your govt email and you don't respond. That is one way to find out how many ghost employees you have that may also be double dipping( Paycheck direct deposited while you are working at another job somewhere.)

Posted by: Jen the original at February 24, 2025 05:15 PM (2YklL)

90 It's but a one-liner.
Posted by: Itinerant Alley Butcher at February 24, 2025 05:10 PM (/lPRQ)

Brevity is violence! You must show compassion by drafting a two-page memo of bureaucratese and submitting it to a panel to be approved before you send these blunt words out to our precious, delicate Federal employees!

Posted by: Congressional RINOs at February 24, 2025 05:15 PM (GXB4V)

91 I work for a Fortune 100 tech company and I already do this literally every week. What did you do this week, was there anything you actually enjoyed, and what is on the radar for next week. It takes less than five minutes each week and if you actually, you know, did any actual work, it's very easy to highlight what you accomplished or what you hit blockers on and were unable to move forward with.

Posted by: ballistic at February 24, 2025 05:16 PM (9zvl2)

92 Make examples of the reluctant… that has to happen. I imagine they think Trump will back down. They are stupid people.

Posted by: tubal at February 24, 2025 05:16 PM (PCK5/)

93 Well, zap my butthole!

Posted by: Yosemite Sam at February 24, 2025 05:16 PM (63Dwl)

94
No More Direct Deposit.

You want your LAST check?

Pick it up in person.

Posted by: Soothsayer at February 24, 2025 05:16 PM (kvigd)

95 Pretty sure Trump through Musk will be able to fire employees who won't show up.
Posted by: Cosda
=====
Insubordination and not going to work when required are both causes for firing.

Posted by: whig at February 24, 2025 05:16 PM (ctrM5)

96 I'd prefer that Musk, Patel, and Hegseth all be on the same page at the same time, but when you move expeditiously, which is absolutely required, there will be some irregularity. I also can understand why a new FBI Director would not want a good agent he wants to keep be treated the same as an EPA dipstick measurer.

Posted by: Frasier Crane at February 24, 2025 05:16 PM (bNf8H)

97 It’s not a big deal to write up a summary of what you accomplished over the past week, ffs. Unless a pyrsyn is engaged in activities other than professional.
Posted by: kallisto at February 24, 2025 05:13 PM (jznp7)

Just put down five items from the job description, you can even just copy it from the HR Website.
But it is true, if there are phantom employees, then there needs to be some sort of search

so much drama.

Posted by: Kindltot at February 24, 2025 05:16 PM (D7oie)

98 I suspect most of the people who don't respond are not getting paychecks. They just don't work for the government. But if there are people getting paid, and do no work, I would think felony charges are in order.
Posted by: BurtTC
======
Defunct/fake employee addresses would bounce back re bad addresses.
Posted by: whig at February 24, 2025 05:15 PM (ctrM5)

Who says they're "bad addresses?"

If nobody removed them, how would you know?

Posted by: BurtTC at February 24, 2025 05:17 PM (dGCAG)

99 Sen. John Curtis (R-Utah): "I don't think this is a request that is that difficult," Sen. Curtis said, before adding that it also doesn't need to "be so cold and hard."

OK, fine. From now on, due to Senator Curtis' thoughtful and deeply intellectual input, we will now provide a cookie with every termination notice. You're now fired with empathy.

Posted by: AnonyBotymousDrivel at February 24, 2025 05:17 PM (aXxgO)

100 >> As long as it's not their ox, gore away.

Not true! I love having my ox gored! We’ve got an entire chatroom dedicated to it!

Posted by: NSA Pervert at February 24, 2025 05:17 PM (GXB4V)

101 71 When I retired civil service and first became an IC (independent contractor) for my segment of the government, they instituted a new policy, whereby we had to give a monthly 'highlights' report of our significant activities. We were being paid $200,000/yr. I was new and thought that was pretty reasonable. The established ICs were outraged and up in arms. "How dare they question our value!"

Posted by: goatexchange at February 24, 2025 05:14 PM (hyS0X)

Dang, you were paid more than the fed employees, even back then...

Posted by: Nova Local at February 24, 2025 05:17 PM (exHjb)

102 NSA = The Only Government Agency interested in your opinion.

Posted by: Joe Mama at February 24, 2025 05:18 PM (FWAED)

103 93 Well, zap my butthole!
Posted by: Yosemite Sam at February 24, 2025 05:16 PM (63Dwl)

feel like this comment was intended for the NSA Slack channel and not for this thread

Posted by: gKWVE at February 24, 2025 05:18 PM (gKWVE)

104 >@FoxNews
Federal workers who fail to return to office will be placed on administrative leave, Musk states

----

see, this is what I'm concerned with, if the headline is accurate
Trump should state something like this, not Musk

Posted by: Don Black. Message: I care at February 24, 2025 05:18 PM (AOsQT)

105 Politics · Trending
Trump is a Russian

Yeah, the latest version of the Russian Hoax is that Trump was allegedly recruited by the KGB in 1987, with a codename and everything.

I feel quite certain that if there was the slightest evidence of that, the Deep State would have trumpeted that in 2016.

Also, if Trump truly was a Russian agent, he would be doing everything possible to discourage US fossil fuel production - a significant decline in the price of oil does real damage to the Russian economy.

Posted by: The ARC of History! at February 24, 2025 05:18 PM (uxCna)

106 74 Kind of tired of these GOP fags with their "civility" the left has no civility towards their enemies when they are in power.
Posted by: steevy
====
They have no civility--those types are Democrats in GOP disguise. They flounce whenever they are called out on it.

Posted by: whig at February 24, 2025 05:18 PM (ctrM5)

107 Poor Joy Reid caught the TRUMP!!! curse and it made her cry.

Posted by: fd at February 24, 2025 05:18 PM (vFG9F)

108 I don't know if they're suggesting there are people drawing salaries, who don't actually work for the government, or just phantom names.
Posted by: BurtTC

----------------
Then fire their managers too!

Posted by: Gentlemen, Please, please, it's too much winning! at February 24, 2025 05:18 PM (Qmnii)

109 Um last week? Let me think, oh yeah we did this.

Shocking NSA Transgender Sex Chat Room Legitimized as DEI Uncovered – Employees Caught Talking About Estrogen Injections, Getting “Zapped,” and Many More Disgusting Topics
https://tinyurl.com/4hd78mef

Posted by: I'm Gumby Damn It! at February 24, 2025 05:18 PM (w4nzS)

110 Unfortunately he can’t fire most of Congress and Senate… talk about worthless slackers…

Posted by: tubal at February 24, 2025 05:18 PM (PCK5/)

111 I suspect most of the people who don't respond are not getting paychecks. They just don't work for the government. But if there are people getting paid, and do no work, I would think felony charges are in order.
Posted by: BurtTC at February 24, 2025 05:12 PM (dGCAG)

I think we'll find that there are many, MANY people drawing govt paychecks who don't show up or do any work.

Posted by: Harry Paratestes at February 24, 2025 05:18 PM (uCjyK)

112 Musk believes there are many federal employees who do not exist or do not read their e-mails because they do no work. These are who he is trying to cull with this e-mail status response. DOGE isn't going to read everyone's status. They are merely looking for actual replies.
Posted by: JTSmith at February 24, 2025 05:14 PM (5qng6)

What if you're a forest ranger, and there's no internet connection for 500 miles?

Posted by: BurtTC at February 24, 2025 05:18 PM (dGCAG)

113 18: If 94% of them are WFH does that mean that basically 6% of the federal workforce does all the work the feds are supposedly going?
Posted by: 18-1
..............................
They get there Beltway Bandit minions to do the work that they should be doing. The Feds provide the tasks and guidance, the BB do the tasks. It has rarely worked that way in my tenure as a Beltway Bandit. Hence the Fed caterwauling. They actually have to make decisions now and decisions have consequences.

Posted by: Puddleglum, cheer up for the worst is yet to come at February 24, 2025 05:19 PM (sAmhv)

114 This was a mistake. There are processes for that, and your boss tends to be the person who does it.

They should rescind the email in total. It feeds a narrative that is not helpful, and it clouds up opportunities for the department heads who are now mostly all installed to run the process within their units.

My guess any attempt to fire off this email would, in combo with this X post, pretty much get wiped out.

Well, there are always going to be some mistakes. They shold fix this one quickly.

Posted by: Black JEM at February 24, 2025 05:19 PM (GZYu7)

115
Po'd because he's got the Contracting Officer looking over his shoulder now.
Posted by: Itinerant Alley Butcher at February 24, 2025 05:14 PM (/lPRQ)

The more likely scenario.

Posted by: Sponge - F*ck Cancer at February 24, 2025 05:19 PM (Zz0t1)

116 IDGAF

In my decades of employment, progress to management have been required at least once a week, and typically 3-5 times a week.

And actually in leadership training we are taught that such oversight, done correctly, can be a morale booster because it means your manager is interested in your career. Being ignored by your manager means he may have already put you on the next RIF list.

Posted by: stuckincalifornia at February 24, 2025 05:19 PM (HHTes)

117
mfw still no free Kuwaiti black and gold clam shell jacuzzi.
why even live
Posted by: gKWVE at February 24, 2025 05:14 PM (gKWVE)

I was rebuilding the compound which had been bombed, and was looking for fixtures for chancery bathrooms. The bathroom supplies owner was trying to unload this monstrosity and begging me to take it. Even offered to have it painted red, white and blue. It was bad enough in gold and black, I can't imagine those colors. The point it, we had to discuss what we did, and show how our actions furthered embassy function and US interests on behalf of taxpayers. That ideology has long since left the building. I'm praying this administration brings it back, as well as hiring people who want that as well.

Posted by: Moki at February 24, 2025 05:19 PM (wLjpr)

118 Also, if Trump truly was a Russian agent, he would be doing everything possible to discourage US fossil fuel production - a significant decline in the price of oil does real damage to the Russian economy.

You mean like the Biden administration did...

Posted by: steevy at February 24, 2025 05:19 PM (KQk9m)

119 Who says they're "bad addresses?"

If nobody removed them, how would you know?
Posted by: BurtTC
=======
OPM supposedly has a master list of emails as there was some litigation over handing that over to DOGE. Privacy bullshit.

Posted by: whig at February 24, 2025 05:19 PM (ctrM5)

120 Where is your compassion for the working people of America Sen Curtis? Why can't you express a little bit for them?
Posted by: 18-1 at February 24, 2025 05:11 PM (t0Rmr)

And why is it that Congress seems far more willing to represent government workers than the people who elected them?

Posted by: I used to have a different nic at February 24, 2025 05:20 PM (ExV1e)

121 A. It’s a freaking standard request by a boss to send a quick weekly update - here’s what I did last week, here’s what I’m working on this week. I did that for many years. Wtf is the squealing about?

B. Yeah, it’s also a sh#t test. Guess what? Most of you failed. Hard.

Posted by: Lizzy at February 24, 2025 05:20 PM (Hkcdp)

122
Yeah, the latest version of the Russian Hoax is that Trump was allegedly recruited by the KGB in 1987, with a codename and everything.

They've given him a number and taken away his name.

Posted by: Bertram Cabot, Jr. at February 24, 2025 05:20 PM (63Dwl)

123 I don't know if they're suggesting there are people drawing salaries, who don't actually work for the government, or just phantom names.
Posted by: BurtTC

----------------
Then fire their managers too!
Posted by: Gentlemen, Please, please, it's too much winning! at February 24, 2025 05:18 PM (Qmnii)

Have you ever quit a job, where your email was Joeschmo@acme.enterprises.com?

Does that email just go away when you quit? Or does it sit there, collecting emails that nobody reads?

Posted by: BurtTC at February 24, 2025 05:20 PM (dGCAG)

124 Last week:
-Found and evaluated a $50 million bid opportunity. Forwarded to VP BizDev. Recommend follow-up.
-Found and evaluated a $35 million bid opportunity. Forwarded to VP BizDev. Recommended no further action.
-Banged the secretary like a screen door in a twister.
-Hosted new clients for briefings and dinner
-Screened multiple BizDev sites for new opportunities.

A busy week.
OK, maybe I was just thinking about the secretary...

Posted by: Diogenes at February 24, 2025 05:21 PM (W/lyH)

125 Trump has captured the Media. He will not be ignored, can’t be really. That is a very big deal.

Posted by: tubal at February 24, 2025 05:21 PM (PCK5/)

126 I know this is a minority viewpoint, but Trump is the HMFIC, and all statements should reflect his views

Posted by: Don Black. Message: I care at February 24, 2025 05:21 PM (AOsQT)

127 Trump sent out a Truth Social post with Sponge Bob that was hilarious. Sponge Bob is filling out his "what are the five things I did " form.

https://tinyurl.com/3uympxj8

Posted by: Jen the original at February 24, 2025 05:21 PM (2YklL)

128 guys do not read the NSA chat stuff

just ... I wish I could forget

Posted by: Black Orchid at February 24, 2025 05:21 PM (Pv3Rg)

129 When I’m asked why I’m still pushing so hard against Brian Kemp, who is term limited as Governor of Georgia, it’s because he’s probably going to run for Senate, and we can’t afford to bring in any more Cornyn/Thune/Curtis/Cassidy types from states that vote for Trump.

Posted by: Buck Throckmorton at February 24, 2025 05:21 PM (x9Bzx)

130 There are processes for that, and your boss tends to be the person who does it.

They should rescind the email in total. It feeds a narrative that is not helpful, and it clouds up opportunities for the department heads who are now mostly all installed to run the process within their units.

***

Yes, the Sacred Process must be followed. Our noble career public servants will police themselves.

Posted by: Unfireable NSA Pervert at February 24, 2025 05:22 PM (GXB4V)

131 89 Part of the reason Musk did this was because of the number of workers on the payroll who don't actually work for the government

If you don't work for the government, you don't read your govt email and you don't respond. That is one way to find out how many ghost employees you have that may also be double dipping( Paycheck direct deposited while you are working at another job somewhere.)
Posted by: Jen the original at February 24, 2025

There are so many ways to do this, and if there are people getting paid after quitting or being fired, you have a huge manager problem. There must be an off boarding process or everyone who left would continue to be paid - managers sign off on hourly paychecks, and for salaried employees, there are systems in place where you can see who reports up through you. If this is happening, OPM is the first org that should go.

Posted by: Piper at February 24, 2025 05:22 PM (p4NUW)

132 Who says they're "bad addresses?"

If nobody removed them, how would you know?
Posted by: BurtTC
=======
OPM supposedly has a master list of emails as there was some litigation over handing that over to DOGE. Privacy bullshit.
Posted by: whig at February 24, 2025 05:19 PM (ctrM5)

Which doesn't really answer the question. Who deletes defunct email accounts?

Anybody?

Seems to me, an organization that does, is fairly efficient. And if so, they don't need DOGE looking over their shoulder.

Posted by: BurtTC at February 24, 2025 05:22 PM (dGCAG)

133 Love it. Is Patel playing good cop or is he not so hot.

Posted by: ... at February 24, 2025 05:22 PM (lX8VI)

134
I wonder if Liz Cheney will answer the email.

Posted by: Frank Barone at February 24, 2025 05:22 PM (+oR7L)

135 It's okay, guys. You'll always have the great memories of the months of paid vacation during COVID-19, not having to worry about anything and chiding people who were losing everything for "not following the Science"

Hold onto it tightly. Smile at the pleasant memories, unaware of what you were creating in the children you were keeping out of school.

Posted by: Boron Quidquid questions if McConnell survived after having polio at February 24, 2025 05:22 PM (v2X2H)

136 To hell with them. If they can't account for 5 things they did over 5 days they are a drag on the government. They are lazy and incompetent. When I was in public accounting we had to account for 50, yes 50, billable hours a week. We had to submit our time in 15 minutes increments per client codes. We could get asked for documentation for our time for any one of the 10 or so clients we worked on at any given time during the billing period. You could miss a deadline for submittal only 5 times during the year, or you would be terminated. Saw it a handful of times. It takes 5 minutes to account for your daily activity if you actually did work. I hate these losers.

Posted by: mishdog at February 24, 2025 05:22 PM (fEGmn)

137 A. It’s a freaking standard request by a boss to send a quick weekly update - here’s what I did last week, here’s what I’m working on this week. I did that for many years. Wtf is the squealing about?

B. Yeah, it’s also a sh#t test. Guess what? Most of you failed. Hard.

Posted by: Lizzy at February 24, 2025 05:20 PM (Hkcdp)
==
True - but the email should have come from your department head boss. Not the president and Musk had no business dropping in.

It's bad practice.

Posted by: Black JEM at February 24, 2025 05:22 PM (GZYu7)

138 Oh, and anyone demanding Elon do this more carefully is trying to run out the clock.

Elon and team aren’t there to get to know people, to slowly analyze and cut with a scalpel. He had 18 months(iirc) and then it’s done. This is not just another bureaucratic project that grows for decades.

Posted by: Lizzy at February 24, 2025 05:22 PM (Hkcdp)

139 Elon did say that they received some excellent responses and think those folks should be promoted.

Say, do you know about the new acting commisioner of Social Security, Leland Dudek? He was working there and stumbled across some fraud. Reported it to his supervisor. They told him to shut up and moved him to an isolated office. Trump promoted him.

Posted by: Notsothoreau at February 24, 2025 05:23 PM (o5+a9)

140 Last week:

I prepared for Bible study at the senior center

Prepared for a worship service at the senior center

Had a worship service at the center center.

Wrote up a church bulletin and worked on a sermon

Did some pastoral counseling.

Had a worship service at the church.

( I am glad I do not work for the government- though, no doubt it would be more lucrative .)

Posted by: FenelonSpoke at February 24, 2025 05:23 PM (RyOVz)

141
Have you ever quit a job, where your email was Joeschmo@acme.enterprises.com?

Does that email just go away when you quit? Or does it sit there, collecting emails that nobody reads?
Posted by: BurtTC at February 24, 2025 05:20 PM (dGCAG)

Depends if the IT operations are worth a shit or not.

Posted by: ... at February 24, 2025 05:23 PM (lX8VI)

142 You mean like the Biden administration did...

One of the fun things for the FBI to investigate is how much funding environmental groups have gotten from Russian front organizations to frustrate oil and gas development.

Posted by: The ARC of History! at February 24, 2025 05:23 PM (uxCna)

143 138 Oh, and anyone demanding Elon do this more carefully is trying to run out the clock.

Elon and team aren’t there to get to know people, to slowly analyze and cut with a scalpel. He had 18 months(iirc) and then it’s done. This is not just another bureaucratic project that grows for decades.
Posted by: Lizzy at February 24, 2025 05:22 PM (Hkcdp)

This.

Posted by: Moki at February 24, 2025 05:23 PM (wLjpr)

144 It’s not a big deal to write up a summary of what you accomplished over the past week, ffs. Unless a pyrsyn is only engaged in activities other than professional.
Posted by: kallisto at February 24, 2025 05:13 PM (jznp7)

Added the missing word. They could spend 90% of their time fucking off and still come up with five things.

Posted by: I used to have a different nic at February 24, 2025 05:24 PM (ExV1e)

145 What if you're a forest ranger, and there's no internet connection for 500 miles?
Posted by: BurtTC
**********
That scenario doesn't exist. Back in 1981, I drifted into a ranger's camp in artic Alaska. He had a sat phone.

Posted by: Cosda at February 24, 2025 05:24 PM (/3fT+)

146 The Department heads should have advised the employees to respond acknowledging the receipt of the email but have been instructed not to provide any info at this time pending further instruction.

An order to just ignore the email completely is a poke in the eye to Trump imo and fodder for the Lefty retards.

Posted by: Sebastian Melmoth at February 24, 2025 05:24 PM (VofaG)

147 by: ballistic at February 24, 2025 05:16 PM (9zvl2)
Plus, it’s a good exercise when one is in the process of updating resumay

I spelled it that way because I don’t know how to format the accent

Posted by: kallisto at February 24, 2025 05:24 PM (jznp7)

148 IDGAF

In my decades of employment, progress to management have been required at least once a week, and typically 3-5 times a week.

And actually in leadership training we are taught that such oversight, done correctly, can be a morale booster because it means your manager is interested in your career. Being ignored by your manager means he may have already put you on the next RIF list.
Posted by: stuckincalifornia at February 24, 2025 05:19 PM (HHTes)
***

This.
We called them Weekly Significant Activities Reports. WSARs.
Pretty standard.

Posted by: Diogenes at February 24, 2025 05:24 PM (W/lyH)

149 did you all see the DOGE group finding tons of unnecessary tech-related subscriptions just to spend our money?!?

winzip??!? were they even using it?!?!

just ... they have to spend their whole budget, or it might get cut. so winzip licenses for everybody! woot!

Posted by: Black Orchid at February 24, 2025 05:24 PM (Pv3Rg)

150 ""I don't think this is a request that is that difficult," Sen. Curtis said, before adding that it also doesn't need to "be so cold and hard.""

it needs to be rather colder and harder than an unelected bureaucrat stamping on a human face forever, which is most peoples experience with feds of any stripe.

Posted by: sock_rat_eez at February 24, 2025 05:24 PM (RP0h0)

151 126 I know this is a minority viewpoint, but Trump is the HMFIC, and all statements should reflect his views
Posted by: Don Black. Message: I care at February 24, 2025 05:21 PM (AOsQT)

Trump has delegated workforce management and drawdown to Musk. Musk did it at Twitter, and Trump really has never been the "slice and dice" businessman, so he doesn't have the heart for it.

So, any time workforce management comes up, Trump immediately backs Musk's play.

Any idiot at this point should know that if you receive an OPM email government wide and it's verified, you should answer it. Even if your boss says not to. I'd think the example of the Social Security underling getting fired for listening to DOGE folks, and then rehired (as his bosses were fired) should be held up as the example.

Posted by: Nova Local at February 24, 2025 05:25 PM (exHjb)

152 OPM supposedly has a master list of emails as there was some litigation over handing that over to DOGE. Privacy bullshit.
Posted by: whig at February 24, 2025 05:19 PM (ctrM5)
--------

OPM handed all kinds of sensitive federal employee data to China years ago, via a backdoor in some code. I don't want to hear one word from them about privacy.

Posted by: bluebell at February 24, 2025 05:25 PM (79pEw)

153 What the hell is Oshkosh.by.Gosh by Mattel up to?! He just got in there and now wants to f up Trumps' direction? The fu.

Posted by: look whats not at February 24, 2025 05:25 PM (nakGR)

154 In most everything it usually comes down to the management…

Posted by: tubal at February 24, 2025 05:25 PM (PCK5/)

155 BurtTC: "Does that email just go away when you quit? Or does it sit there, collecting emails that nobody reads?"

The account is locked down and frozen. Any email sent to the inactive account is then bounced back as undeliverable.

Posted by: AnonyBotymousDrivel at February 24, 2025 05:25 PM (aXxgO)

156 I think this is a stunt that required a little more thought, as I said earlier. It should have cascaded differently, it should have had the agency heads together on it. This in and of itself would have displayed to the rank and file leadership is not disjointed. If Trump wanted it, it should not have been difficult to get everyone on the same page. Shooting first and aiming later is never a good look.

I suggest to Elon, if he is lurking, he rethink his HR buddy. I know someone. 😀

Posted by: Piper at February 24, 2025 05:26 PM (p4NUW)

157 129 When I’m asked why I’m still pushing so hard against Brian Kemp, who is term limited as Governor of Georgia, it’s because he’s probably going to run for Senate, and we can’t afford to bring in any more Cornyn/Thune/Curtis/Cassidy types from states that vote for Trump.
Posted by: Buck Throckmorton at February 24, 2025 05:21 PM (x9Bzx)

For now, GA is purple with 2 Dems. You might want to just win the seat 1st. Lots of Rs have already lost it...so is there a better R who can win it?

Posted by: Nova Local at February 24, 2025 05:26 PM (exHjb)

158 Word of the month : "RareEarthMinerals!" It's like the hottest trend right now. Putin offered US companies to go digging for them on Russian territory. Also offered aluminum at reasonable prices - take that Canada! Rare minerals palooza!

Posted by: runner at February 24, 2025 05:26 PM (g47mK)

159 Have you ever quit a job, where your email was Joeschmo@acme.enterprises.com?

Does that email just go away when you quit? Or does it sit there, collecting emails that nobody reads?
Posted by: BurtTC at February 24, 2025 05:20 PM (dGCAG)

Depends if the IT operations are worth a shit or not.
Posted by: ... at February 24, 2025 05:23 PM (lX8VI)
***

Sounds like my great-great grandfather's social security...

Posted by: Diogenes at February 24, 2025 05:26 PM (W/lyH)

160 It's bad practice.
Posted by: Black JEM at February 24, 2025 05:22 PM (GZYu7)

Our entire government is bad practice. When in Rome....

Posted by: ... at February 24, 2025 05:26 PM (lX8VI)

161 I'm as big a Sponge fan as anyone, but Top Five Firsts is excessive and egregious. Even an inside-the-park HR is only four bases. Children could be watching. What kind of a future will we leave our progeny if profligate Firsting becomes the norm?

Posted by: Moderation is Key at February 24, 2025 05:26 PM (G5+As)

162 I think the ultimate goal was to gin up a discussion about what, exactly, 2.5M federal employees actually do.

And...

- To see who doesn't respond, to uncover fraud
- See who responds with belligerent responses (Resistance II ticks)
- Deflect from some other op going down

Posted by: Martini Farmer at February 24, 2025 05:26 PM (Q4IgG)

163 Does that email just go away when you quit? Or does it sit there, collecting emails that nobody reads?
Posted by: BurtTC at February 24, 2025 05:20 PM (dGCAG)

Burt, we’re talking about the Feds here. They have people on SS rolls who are 130 yrs old

Posted by: kallisto at February 24, 2025 05:27 PM (jznp7)

164 There are so many ways to do this, and if there are people getting paid after quitting or being fired, you have a huge manager problem. There must be an off boarding process or everyone who left would continue to be paid - managers sign off on hourly paychecks, and for salaried employees, there are systems in place where you can see who reports up through you. If this is happening, OPM is the first org that should go.

Posted by: Piper at February 24, 2025 05:22 PM (p4NUW)
==
If this is the concern driving this action, I agree 100%. OPM would be the problem. But generally those things work like clockwork. I am not suggesting there aren't possible misses. The fed is a huge employer. But I am not buying this as an explanation.

Though if OPM is that screwed up, they should have known that already.

Posted by: Black JEM at February 24, 2025 05:27 PM (GZYu7)

165 Decades ago I worked as part of a contract short term document evidence review for a large civil litigation. About 4 months in, I realized a way to streamline the search and review process and was flying thru the work in a fraction of the time with zero misses. Mentioned it to coworkers and was asked, in so many words, to please STFU and go slower, quit rocking the boat. I didn't, informed the boss of the process which I was asked to present to upper mgmt. Overnight I became the office pariah. I was the only contractor kept on until settlement was reached. It was my first foray into how fcking lazy most of society is. Thought the goal was to help the client and get the job done, I wasn't a team player. Hope Elon prevails here

Posted by: Gary R at February 24, 2025 05:27 PM (36OLy)

166 >What if you're a forest ranger, and there's no internet connection for 500 miles?
---

StarLink

Posted by: Don Black. Message: I care at February 24, 2025 05:27 PM (AOsQT)

167 True - but the email should have come from your department head boss. Not the president and Musk had no business dropping in.

It's bad practice.
Posted by: Black JEM at February 24, 2025 05:22 PM (GZYu7)

If it came from Musk it came from the President. To have the Department Heads give instruction to ignore it is ignoring the President imo.

Posted by: Sebastian Melmoth at February 24, 2025 05:28 PM (VofaG)

168 In the waste management business we had another term for work at home: no-show jobs.

Posted by: Field Marshal Soprano, now, where does a war hero get some lubrication around here? at February 24, 2025 05:28 PM (wBaIH)

169 I just don't want the President to be upstaged, is all

IMO FWIW YMMV RARIHTS

Posted by: Don Black. Message: I care at February 24, 2025 05:28 PM (AOsQT)

170 I hope that is leave without pay. I.e. firing.

Posted by: Lucius Fabricius at February 24, 2025 05:28 PM (zZu0s)

171 1. Slept 'til noon.
2. Sponge bath.
3. Went to work at the strip club.
4. Partied with Hunter & got wasted.
5. Went to an all-you-can-eat buffet and put on another 30 pounds.
Posted by: ShainS

THis is a country song ... VA country song but a song none the less.

Posted by: weft cut-loop at February 24, 2025 05:29 PM (mlg/3)

172 Yeah, they're not only going to find bad employees, there are going to be some supervisors in hot water when it turns out they had employees collecting a check who'd either been let go or hadn't done a thing for years.

Posted by: blake - semi lurker in marginal standing (tT6L1) at February 24, 2025 05:29 PM (tT6L1)

173
If it came from Musk it came from the President. To have the Department Heads give instruction to ignore it is ignoring the President imo.
Posted by: Sebastian Melmoth at February 24, 2025 05:28 PM (VofaG)

I agree.. But Trump has to issue the order himself

Posted by: It's me donna at February 24, 2025 05:29 PM (VE6XX)

174 Word of the month : "RareEarthMinerals!" It's like the hottest trend right now. Putin offered US companies to go digging for them on Russian territory. Also offered aluminum at reasonable prices - take that Canada! Rare minerals palooza!
Posted by: runner at February 24, 2025 05:26 PM (g47mK)

Kinda like the "huge" discovery of lithium ore in eastern Oregon? And then...crickets.

Posted by: Diogenes at February 24, 2025 05:29 PM (W/lyH)

175 True - but the email should have come from your department head boss. Not the president and Musk had no business dropping in.

-

Nah, not when the boss is part of the problem.

Ever walked on site as the big boss? No faster way to straighten up a bunch of workers.

Posted by: Boron Quidquid questions if McConnell survived after having polio at February 24, 2025 05:29 PM (v2X2H)

176 I suggest to Elon, if he is lurking, he rethink his HR buddy. I know someone. 😀

Posted by: Piper at February 24, 2025 05:26 PM (p4NUW)
==
I see we agree.

Posted by: Black JEM at February 24, 2025 05:29 PM (GZYu7)

177 Black JEM, one of the best methods of ensuring the bureaucracy powers on despite what a POTUS directs has been to prevent direct communication. Numerous recent O’Keefe undercover videos have these bureaucrats bragging about how management filters information so that they can keep doing what they want.

Recall the collective freak out when they realized Trump wanted the ability to send an email to every employee. Imagine a CEO not being able to do that? Also, this is also a way to see how many of the email accounts are attached to real people. Recall how the Obama cabinet members all had fake name government accounts to do business outside of FOIA. Probably all sorts of reasons why Elon wants a direct reply.

It’s not that outrageous when one considers all the scams he is tasked with eliminating. In the meantime, legit workers can do something unusual for a short while.

Posted by: Lizzy at February 24, 2025 05:29 PM (Hkcdp)

178 Let's not start biting off each other's picks just yet.

Posted by: Lucius Fabricius at February 24, 2025 05:30 PM (zZu0s)

179 I don't think the memo is as big of an issue as some try to make it out to be. BFD. It went out, Dept heads are free to follow up with own instructions if they have reasonable security concerns.

Posted by: runner at February 24, 2025 05:30 PM (g47mK)

180 There are so many ways to do this, and if there are people getting paid after quitting or being fired, you have a huge manager problem. There must be an off boarding process or everyone who left would continue to be paid - managers sign off on hourly paychecks, and for salaried employees, there are systems in place where you can see who reports up through you. If this is happening, OPM is the first org that should go.
Posted by: Piper at February 24, 2025 05:22 PM (p4NUW)

Piper, I understand and agree with what you are saying, but after the constant curtain lifting we are seeing of what is really going on with the government workforce, why should Musk or Trump assume anything about any department in the Federal Government? I wouldn't assume any of the workforce is actually doing their job. When you have FAA heads who are still using floppy discs in their systems, you have a problem with management, not just the worker bees.

Posted by: Jen the original at February 24, 2025 05:30 PM (2YklL)

181 119 Who says they're "bad addresses?"

If nobody removed them, how would you know?
Posted by: BurtTC
=======
OPM supposedly has a master list of emails as there was some litigation over handing that over to DOGE. Privacy bullshit.
Posted by: whig
===
To continue, back when I used to do relational database stuff for data analysis, you basically use key fields in queries like employee emails and employee ids can be then leveraged into checking department websites, payment records, disciplinary, yadda yadda yadda.

Think of it as mapping the entire bureaucratic system of people just like we did against the Iraqi and Afghani resistance.

Posted by: whig at February 24, 2025 05:31 PM (ctrM5)

182 just ... they have to spend their whole budget, or it might get cut. so winzip licenses for everybody! woot!
Posted by: Black Orchid at February 24, 2025 05:24 PM (Pv3Rg)

I am so triggered right now. I spent a day in winzip hell last year.
That app is a torture chamber

Posted by: kallisto at February 24, 2025 05:31 PM (jznp7)

183 The price of widgets is too damn high!

Posted by: MaxPower at February 24, 2025 05:31 PM (52Rue)

184 The account is locked down and frozen. Any email sent to the inactive account is then bounced back as undeliverable.
Posted by: AnonyBotymousDrivel at February 24, 2025 05:25 PM (aXxgO)

We always forwarded the email to their manager. Prevents important emails from being lost.

Posted by: Disinterested FDA Director at February 24, 2025 05:32 PM (uVP+6)

185 >>> 114 This was a mistake. There are processes for that, and your boss tends to be the person who does it.

They should rescind the email in total. It feeds a narrative that is not helpful, and it clouds up opportunities for the department heads who are now mostly all installed to run the process within their units.

My guess any attempt to fire off this email would, in combo with this X post, pretty much get wiped out.

Well, there are always going to be some mistakes. They shold fix this one quickly.
Posted by: Black JEM at February 24, 2025 05:19 PM (GZYu7)

Not too long ago the Horde was discussing how likely it was that feralgov employees could claim cost of living adjustments for say, living inside the Beltway when they had moved somewhere with a much lower cost of living. One Moron said it was very unlikely because it would require at *least* a direct manager to sign off... then we found there's a shitload of them doing exactly this, and it requires *two or three* levels of management to approve.

Posted by: Helena Handbasket at February 24, 2025 05:32 PM (Vqx30)

186 Let's not start biting off each other's picks just yet.
Posted by: Lucius Fabricius

What are you Picky McPicky guitarist?

Posted by: weft cut-loop at February 24, 2025 05:32 PM (mlg/3)

187 164 If this is the concern driving this action, I agree 100%. OPM would be the problem. But generally those things work like clockwork. I am not suggesting there aren't possible misses. The fed is a huge employer. But I am not buying this as an explanation.

Though if OPM is that screwed up, they should have known that already.
Posted by: Black JEM at February

The grievances themselves are going to be cost suck that outweighs the wins here! Good gosh, as you know, whatever the outcome desired, you or I could have gotten him there with less messiness. The answer is not no and should never be no, it should be let me show you a few paths and let me outline the risks / rewards for each. The issue is, and let me tell you some stories about CEO think, this worked for Elon elsewhere. So if it worked there, it will work here! Go go go and don’t question me! Never mind the org structure is totally different, never mind the completely different scale, never mind the labor relations issues.

Posted by: Piper at February 24, 2025 05:32 PM (p4NUW)

188 167 True - but the email should have come from your department head boss. Not the president and Musk had no business dropping in.

It's bad practice.
Posted by: Black JEM at February 24, 2025 05:22 PM (GZYu7)

If it came from Musk it came from the President. To have the Department Heads give instruction to ignore it is ignoring the President imo.
Posted by: Sebastian Melmoth at February 24, 2025 05:28 PM (VofaG)

Thus, why rank and file should answer it. Musk/Trump outranks the department heads...

Posted by: Nova Local at February 24, 2025 05:32 PM (exHjb)

189 Nah, not when the boss is part of the problem.

Ever walked on site as the big boss? No faster way to straighten up a bunch of workers.

Posted by: Boron Quidquid questions if McConnell survived after having polio at February 24, 2025 05:29 PM (v2X2H)
==
The bosses have all been replaced. If they can't coordinate this, then you just installed a bunch stupid bosses.

Posted by: Black JEM at February 24, 2025 05:32 PM (GZYu7)

190 Dan Crenshaw caught on video saying if he ever met Tucker Carlson he'd, "...fucking kill him. It's not a joke."

http://tiny.cc/do6b001

Crenshaw is on X claiming he didn't do what is on video.

http://tiny.cc/go6b001

Posted by: bonhomme at February 24, 2025 05:33 PM (lIio7)

191 Also when you've screwed up everything to get it to this point, stepping over the chain of command that broke everything in the first place is perfectly fine.

Posted by: Boron Quidquid questions if McConnell survived after having polio at February 24, 2025 05:33 PM (v2X2H)

192 This is not something new. When I was in civil service we had to report our numbers every week and our higher echelon command made sure that if we missed anything they let us know quickly. As a supervisor I had to make sure that all of my employees hit their bench mark numbers every month, quarter and year. And it became part of their annual performance review.

This was common place in the federal government system 10-20 years ago.

Posted by: Mister Scott (Formerly GWS) at February 24, 2025 05:34 PM (e5NfL)

193 Does that email just go away when you quit? Or does it sit there, collecting emails that nobody reads?
Posted by: BurtTC at February 24, 2025 05:20 PM (dGCAG)

Burt, we’re talking about the Feds here. They have people on SS rolls who are 130 yrs old
Posted by: kallisto at February 24, 2025 05:27 PM (jznp7)

Which is sorta my point. We're asking the question, why would DOGE need to do this, and lots of people here seem to be saying "well no, those email accounts would be defunct."

WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT. WHICH IS WHY DOGE EXISTS IN THE FIRST PLACE, THESE PEOPLE DON'T DO ANYTHING EFFICIENTLY!!!!!

Posted by: BurtTC at February 24, 2025 05:34 PM (dGCAG)

194 WWYSYDH? Musk needs a two Bob's costume.

Posted by: Comrade Flounder, Disinformation Demon at February 24, 2025 05:34 PM (i24o9)

195 Thus, why rank and file should answer it. Musk/Trump outranks the department heads...

Posted by: Nova Local at February 24, 2025 05:32 PM (exHjb)
==
I know we would like to think so. But there are terms of employment, which I don't know of course. But this is leakier than hell, and in DC you aren't going to get a forgiving judge, especially if they can find you violated your own processes.

Unforced error. Elon screwed up.

Posted by: Black JEM at February 24, 2025 05:34 PM (GZYu7)

196 Burt, we’re talking about the Feds here. They have people on SS rolls who are 130 yrs old
Posted by: kallisto
======
One was something like 360 years old and another was 260. Although as the joke goes, they were probably Highlanders competing for the prize.

Posted by: whig at February 24, 2025 05:35 PM (ctrM5)

197 I can see the objection to Musk and Trump sending an email to every employee directly and why it should be the responsibility of department heads.

However, with recent revelations, it's obvious department heads are not to be trusted.

I'm quite sure Elon and President Trump are aware of this and believed they had no choice but to go around department heads.

Posted by: blake - semi lurker in marginal standing (tT6L1) at February 24, 2025 05:35 PM (tT6L1)

198 Having no idea about government employees, I think it's funny

Posted by: Skip at February 24, 2025 05:35 PM (fwDg9)

199 The bosses have all been replaced. If they can't coordinate this, then you just installed a bunch stupid bosses.
Posted by: Black JEM

-

Good.

Everyone can be on the same level, then. And there may still be new boss openings coming up soon.

FWIW, I think this is little more than a test to see who is alive. If you don't answer, there's a start.

Posted by: Boron Quidquid questions if McConnell survived after having polio at February 24, 2025 05:35 PM (v2X2H)

200 Elon Musk warned on Monday that federal employees who have not complied with President Trump's return-to-office directive will be placed on administrative leave.

-----------

Screw leave (with pay) -- fire their asses!

Maybe RICO them, too ... Fuck'em.

Posted by: ShainS -- DOGE should be renamed Federal Agency for Financial Oversight (FAFO) at February 24, 2025 05:36 PM (1uZpV)

201 Dan Crenshaw caught on video saying if he ever met Tucker Carlson he'd, "...fucking kill him. It's not a joke."

http://tiny.cc/do6b001

Crenshaw is on X claiming he didn't do what is on video.

http://tiny.cc/go6b001
Posted by: bonhomme at February 24, 2025 05:33 PM (lIio7)

You mean the guy who was on Pierce Morgan with Gleen Grenwald, and straight up lied about what he was shown "in briefings" about what's happening in Ukraine?

That Dan Crenshaw?

Posted by: BurtTC at February 24, 2025 05:36 PM (dGCAG)

202 I would be interested to know why Kash Patel told the FBI to "pause" their response to this email. Just out of curiosity.

Posted by: bluebell at February 24, 2025 05:36 PM (79pEw)

203 Holy smokes...how absolutely out of touch do you have to be to work for the government. If I'm working in a vocational setting, and I get an email from someone in a decision making position telling me to list what I did in the last week. And, I'm aware that the same decision maker is looking to cut the fat....you better damn well believe I'm going to respond to that email.

My response is going to be long, detailed, and reflective not only of accomplished tasks, but efforts made to improve the work performance of those around me. THIS, is a life preserver for those worried about losing their jobs. One of the primary problems on most layoffs is that those laying off, don't understand who is important, dedicated and an asset to the office. This is like taking out a billboard to advertise your skills. And, they're whining about it. Good grief.

Posted by: Orson at February 24, 2025 05:36 PM (dIske)

204 The grievances themselves are going to be cost suck that outweighs the wins here! Good gosh, as you know, whatever the outcome desired, you or I could have gotten him there with less messiness. The answer is not no and should never be no, it should be let me show you a few paths and let me outline the risks / rewards for each. The issue is, and let me tell you some stories about CEO think, this worked for Elon elsewhere. So if it worked there, it will work here! Go go go and don’t question me! Never mind the org structure is totally different, never mind the completely different scale, never mind the labor relations issues.

Posted by: Piper at February 24, 2025 05:32 PM (p4NUW)
==
Yeah, Piper, maybe Trump needs some counsel from some HR professionals!! Like us!!

Posted by: Black JEM at February 24, 2025 05:36 PM (GZYu7)

205 "Personally, I liked the university. They gave us money and facilities, we didn't have to produce anything! You've never been out of college! You don't know what it's like out there! I've WORKED in the private sector. They expect results!"

Posted by: mrp at February 24, 2025 05:36 PM (rj6Yv)

206 You know that these chat rooms aren't just talking about trannie pee fetishes. There's cp involved.

Posted by: Josephistan at February 24, 2025 05:37 PM (G0Uu2)

207 The best part is watching Trump get even more people on his side over these public employees telling them "no, I won't"

Posted by: Boron Quidquid questions if McConnell survived after having polio at February 24, 2025 05:37 PM (v2X2H)

208 I'm assuming those who have not returned to the office are Dem loving Libs...

Posted by: It's me donna at February 24, 2025 05:37 PM (VE6XX)

209 No one reads my posts but I just want to vent. Musk and Trump will over play their hands and start to look vindictive, and yes 'mean', and start to loose favor with new Trump voters. Only hard core types like us like these draconian moves

Posted by: anon2020 at February 24, 2025 05:37 PM (RqMDa)

210 They should rescind the email in total. It feeds a narrative that is not helpful, and it clouds up opportunities for the department heads who are now mostly all installed to run the process within their units.
Posted by: Black JEM

First off, "units?" Are you fucking serious?

2nd, "not helpful" is the cry of accommodation and deference. Sorry, buddy, this is a clean sweep.

3rd, the appointments switching to another system is well understood in re-organizing.

Posted by: weft cut-loop at February 24, 2025 05:37 PM (mlg/3)

211 185 Not too long ago the Horde was discussing how likely it was that feralgov employees could claim cost of living adjustments for say, living inside the Beltway when they had moved somewhere with a much lower cost of living. One Moron said it was very unlikely because it would require at *least* a direct manager to sign off... then we found there's a shitload of them doing exactly this, and it requires *two or three* levels of management to approve.
Posted by: Helena Handbasket at February

I must have missed that - but this I would not be surprised at, especially if a manager thought is was a way to reward an employee outside of a merit system. Not terminating an employee is an entirely different ball game. Not recognizing your org has people you are budgeting for who don’t exist? Very different. Both are absolute manager problems, not rank and file problems.

Also, it’s easier to fire a manager. It only takes a few examples before people get in line. But you have to have the leadership team together on this- they can disagree behind closed doors, but once you step into the hallway, you support it together.

Posted by: Piper at February 24, 2025 05:37 PM (p4NUW)

212 If Patel, Kennedy, Bondi, all serve at the whims of the President, does he not need to have a meeting amd
Tell them follow Musks directive?

Posted by: Gonzotx at February 24, 2025 05:38 PM (nGraA)

213 You know that these chat rooms aren't just talking about trannie pee fetishes. There's cp involved.
Posted by: Josephistan at February 24, 2025 05:37 PM (G0Uu2)

Copper pipes?

Posted by: BurtTC at February 24, 2025 05:38 PM (dGCAG)

214 >>> 156 I think this is a stunt that required a little more thought, as I said earlier. It should have cascaded differently, it should have had the agency heads together on it. This in and of itself would have displayed to the rank and file leadership is not disjointed. If Trump wanted it, it should not have been difficult to get everyone on the same page. Shooting first and aiming later is never a good look.

I suggest to Elon, if he is lurking, he rethink his HR buddy. I know someone. 😀
Posted by: Piper at February 24, 2025 05:26 PM (p4NUW)

This isn't about employee relations (although I am confident you would be good at that).

This is an audit.

Posted by: Helena Handbasket at February 24, 2025 05:38 PM (Vqx30)

215 Blake-

"The United Nations (UN) does not pay rent for its headquarters building in New York. The building is owned by the United States government, but it is located on land provided by the city of New York. In 1947, the UN was granted extraterritorial rights, meaning that while the land is technically in New York City, it is considered international territory under the jurisdiction of the UN, not the U.S. government.

The U.S. government gave the land to the UN as a gift, and the UN headquarters was constructed there between 1949 and 1952. Since the UN doesn't pay rent, it's considered a special arrangement between the U.S. and the UN."

Posted by: pawn at February 24, 2025 05:38 PM (QB+5g)

216 They should offer a monetary reward for whistle blowers reporting fraud... maybe even let them keep their job.

Posted by: Wardo at February 24, 2025 05:38 PM (h8Giw)

217 I spent 30 years working for Fortune 500 companies. There wasn’t a single day where there wasn’t at least a rumor of restructuring. My sympathy meter for fed employees is pegged at zero.

Posted by: Duke Lowell at February 24, 2025 05:38 PM (u73oe)

218 The best part is watching Trump get even more people on his side over these public employees telling them "no, I won't"
Posted by: Boron Quidquid questions if McConnell survived after having polio at February 24, 2025 05:37 PM (v2X2H)
------------------

too many people lost jobs and had to sweat doing multiple jobs to get by for them to have any sympathy for coddled government workers.

Posted by: blake - semi lurker in marginal standing (tT6L1) at February 24, 2025 05:38 PM (tT6L1)

219 >> The grievances themselves are going to be cost suck that outweighs the wins here!

If they aren't working towards the demise of the Country, it's a win.

We employ more than enough Lawyers to handle the LOLsuits.

Posted by: garrett at February 24, 2025 05:38 PM (oa1NA)

220 One of the primary problems on most layoffs is that those laying off, don't understand who is important, dedicated and an asset to the office. This is like taking out a billboard to advertise your skills. And, they're whining about it. Good grief.
Posted by: Orson at February 24, 2025 05:36 PM (dIske)

Exactly. I worked my entire life in the private sector. I don’t live the cushy gov employee life.

This email would be an opportunity to show my value. The only problem is limiting myself to five accomplishments..

Posted by: Disinterested FDA Director at February 24, 2025 05:39 PM (GXB4V)

221 I worked as a Fed (civilian) for a while. So... if your immediate boss wanted something you'd likely do a half assed job to get him/her off your ass. Writing a mickey mouse report on "what I did this week" is a very, very low bar. Most have a form email ready to go with only minor date, name and other changes necessary to fulfill that requirement.

When the "bigger boss" wanted something from your boss you had to be a bit more detailed. Not that it mattered... but your supervisor was more likely to actually read what you submitted.

Beyond that, and I've had to address issues at the highest levels of bureaucracy, like Congressional levels, you better be.... creative in your reports. Because nobody above you is going to help. So get your shit straight.

A lot of these people do not have shit to get straight. They are ticks.

Posted by: Martini Farmer at February 24, 2025 05:39 PM (Q4IgG)

222 Eyepatch McCain is being disingenuous?

NOOOOOOOOOOO!

Posted by: Lucius Fabricius at February 24, 2025 05:39 PM (zZu0s)

223 195 Thus, why rank and file should answer it. Musk/Trump outranks the department heads...

Posted by: Nova Local at February 24, 2025 05:32 PM (exHjb)
==
I know we would like to think so. But there are terms of employment, which I don't know of course. But this is leakier than hell, and in DC you aren't going to get a forgiving judge, especially if they can find you violated your own processes.

Unforced error. Elon screwed up.
Posted by: Black JEM at February 24, 2025 05:34 PM (GZYu7)

If you don't respond, you're going on a list of the "not trusted for important things" at the White House. That's just a fact. When RIFs come, and you and another employee rank the same, who do you think will get punted? Especially in orgs where 60-80% of the workforce may be drawn down...

I know many smart bosses told their folks it was optional, and then told their folks they answered it anyway...b/c they didn't need to FAFO...and it wasn't a hard ask and it gave them a chance to sell themselves and their office's importance...

Skipping this is losing an opportunity to convince Trump/Musk that you and your office matter at a time when we are only gonna have funds to pay for stuff that matters

Posted by: Nova Local at February 24, 2025 05:39 PM (exHjb)

224 The U.S. government gave the land to the UN as a gift, and the UN headquarters was constructed there between 1949 and 1952. Since the UN doesn't pay rent, it's considered a special arrangement between the U.S. and the UN."
Posted by: pawn at February 24, 2025 05:38 PM (QB+5g)
----------------

Wait, we gave them the land and also write large checks to the UN? Just how stupid are we?

....don't answer that.

Posted by: blake - semi lurker in marginal standing (tT6L1) at February 24, 2025 05:39 PM (tT6L1)

225 CEOs get on a roll, and have zero ideas the trouble they are causing themselves. Yeah, Piper, tell me you end desire, let me map out how you can get there and make it stick. This has disaster written all over it.

Posted by: Black JEM at February 24, 2025 05:39 PM (GZYu7)

226 I work for a Fortune 100 tech company and I already do this literally every week.

I get to have a 30 minute chat with my boss every week. Whether I want to or not. She's nice enough but I'm in a unique position totally unlike the other people she manages and she just doesn't have any frame of reference.

Posted by: I used to have a different nic at February 24, 2025 05:40 PM (ExV1e)

227 This could also be a mind fuck Kash and Musk are playing on the FBI ratfucks.

Posted by: Lucius Fabricius at February 24, 2025 05:40 PM (zZu0s)

228 The point about HR advisory committees and counsel is a great one.

We should go back to Personnel Departments and one interview, two if it's something extraordinary.

Get rid of the clucking hens in HR that have broken the workplace m

Posted by: Boron Quidquid questions if McConnell survived after having polio at February 24, 2025 05:40 PM (v2X2H)

229
- woke up
- fell out of bed
- dragged a comb across my head
- found my way downstairs and drank a cup
- and looking up I noticed I was late

Posted by: Dear Elon at February 24, 2025 05:40 PM (mH6SG)

230 Awww, that's sweet phone. It recognized 'ratfuck'.

Posted by: Lucius Fabricius at February 24, 2025 05:40 PM (zZu0s)

231 A lot of these people do not have shit to get straight. They are ticks.

==

or they don't exist

Posted by: runner at February 24, 2025 05:40 PM (g47mK)

232 Skipping this is losing an opportunity to convince Trump/Musk that you and your office matter at a time when we are only gonna have funds to pay for stuff that matters

Posted by: Nova Local at February 24, 2025 05:39 PM (exHjb)
==
What do you think the goal is here?

Posted by: Black JEM at February 24, 2025 05:40 PM (GZYu7)

233 No one reads my posts but I just want to vent. Musk and Trump will over play their hands and start to look vindictive, and yes 'mean', and start to loose favor with new Trump voters. Only hard core types like us like these draconian moves
Posted by: anon2020 at February 24, 2025 05:37 PM (RqMDa)

I read your post! Nice work, better quality than most of the type.

And I've noted your concern.

Posted by: mrp at February 24, 2025 05:40 PM (rj6Yv)

234 If these weren't Fed workers do you think they would ignore their "boss."

Posted by: It's me donna at February 24, 2025 05:40 PM (VE6XX)

235 What is it you say you do here?

Posted by: Boss Moss at February 24, 2025 05:40 PM (G9iYQ)

236 Speaking on CBS's "Face the Nation" on Sunday, Sen. John Curtis (R-Utah) said the SpaceX billionaire needs to have more compassion.

"I don't think this is a request that is that difficult," Sen. Curtis said, before adding that it also doesn't need to "be so cold and hard."
===

Liberals are so much nicer than icky Republicans, right fag?

Posted by: San Franpsycho at February 24, 2025 05:41 PM (PxIx9)

237 The grievances themselves are going to be cost suck that outweighs the wins here! Good gosh, as you know, whatever the outcome desired, you or I could have gotten him there with less messiness. The answer is not no and should never be no, it should be let me show you a few paths and let me outline the risks / rewards for each. The issue is, and let me tell you some stories about CEO think, this worked for Elon elsewhere. So if it worked there, it will work here! Go go go and don’t question me! Never mind the org structure is totally different, never mind the completely different scale, never mind the labor relations issues.
Posted by: Piper
========
If you are a non-existent employee--you have no rights employment or other. That was the purpose for this exercise. Pinging the system so to speak.

Unions cannot file grievances for non-existent employees either unless they want to find themselves violating criminal law statutes.

Posted by: whig at February 24, 2025 05:41 PM (ctrM5)

238 Did Elon send an email to Netanyahu, too?

I'd sorta like to know what they do in order to warrant hundreds of billions of American tax dollars.

Posted by: raimondo at February 24, 2025 05:41 PM (u8Jdh)

239 /off fabrician sock

Put on my other roman sock.

Posted by: Aetius451AD work phone at February 24, 2025 05:42 PM (zZu0s)

240
If 94% of them are WFH does that mean that basically 6% of the federal workforce does all the work the feds are supposedly going?
Posted by: 18-1 at February 24, 2025 05:07 PM (t0Rmr)

Pretty much. When I was an underling at Battalion S3, the meme was that effective military personnel management dictates that you find the one or two enlisted soldiers who aren't totally incompetent and then work them to death.

The one thing that makes it all worthwhile is watching officers or senior NCOs argue like rabid honey badgers over who you work for. I once had an ops sergeant and my company first sergeant almost come to blows during one of those arguments (from what I understand, the XO had to physically pull them apart)

Posted by: IllTemperedCur at February 24, 2025 05:42 PM (y9nCu)

241 the email is an IQ test

Posted by: runner at February 24, 2025 05:42 PM (g47mK)

242 Anyone else remember Lisa Jackson, Obamas EPA head using a “Richard Windsor” email account to conduct business?

There had been a Richard Windsor who was EPA May years earlier that somehow remained active and was used by Jackson, and Bill Clinton’s EPA head before that.

There had been email stayed active across several administrations, maybe even still active now. How many of these types of ghost employee accounts have remained active?

Posted by: Lizzy at February 24, 2025 05:42 PM (Hkcdp)

243 Posted by: raimondo at February 24, 2025 05:41 PM (u8Jdh)

Wow.. That was stupider than usual

Posted by: It's me donna at February 24, 2025 05:42 PM (VE6XX)

244 No one reads my posts but I just want to vent. Musk and Trump will over play their hands and start to look vindictive, and yes 'mean', and start to loose favor with new Trump voters. Only hard core types like us like these draconian moves
-

It's good to hear from the lifelong Republicans

Posted by: Boron Quidquid questions if McConnell survived after having polio at February 24, 2025 05:42 PM (v2X2H)

245 It was a simple fucking request from the President via Musk. A request that can be answered in under 5 minutes. One of the answers could be 1. Responded to this email. That it’s being made a big deal tells me everything I need to know about HR opinions, government workers and politicians.

Posted by: Sebastian Melmoth at February 24, 2025 05:42 PM (VofaG)

246 Speaking of jobs, chaplain at a VA facility censored for preaching a sermon based on Romans against homosexuality:

https://tinyurl.com/5xr4rk73

Posted by: FenelonSpoke at February 24, 2025 05:42 PM (42Vb+)

247 This isn't about employee relations (although I am confident you would be good at that).

This is an audit.
Posted by: Helena Handbasket

It’s an audit with huge labor and employee relations impacts, and if the goal is ghost employees, that should be able to happen through a number of ways.

If the goal is to see who is working and not working, the emails should have cascaded down through agency heads.

Posted by: Piper at February 24, 2025 05:42 PM (p4NUW)

248 I drove up the coast overnight and landed smack in the middle of the DC commute starting at 8:30 this morning and breezed right thru it. I couldn't tell that it was a rush hour.

Where was everybody? I'm beginning to believe those who say government workers haven't been to their buildings in years. Morning rush hour traffic was much lighter than weekend afternoons I've experienced down there.

Posted by: t-bird at February 24, 2025 05:42 PM (4SKzt)

249 Do sandle wearers wear socks?

Posted by: Boss Moss at February 24, 2025 05:42 PM (G9iYQ)

250 AOC is under investigation, right? Soon going to jail.

Posted by: runner at February 24, 2025 05:43 PM (g47mK)

251 Okay, raimondo, I'll answer your question if you answer mine: What did Zelensky do to deserve 200 billion dollars, half of which he cannot account for?

Posted by: blake - semi lurker in marginal standing (tT6L1) at February 24, 2025 05:43 PM (tT6L1)

252 Also, this is also a way to see how many of the email accounts are attached to real people.

Posted by: Lizzy at February 24, 2025 05:29 PM (Hkcdp)

IP address information can be included in emails. I wonder if this is to quickly ID those who are actually responding from the office.

Posted by: Comrade Flounder, Disinformation Demon at February 24, 2025 05:43 PM (i24o9)

253 The world needs much, but not more "HR Professionals."

Posted by: Frasier Crane at February 24, 2025 05:43 PM (bNf8H)

254 >>> 209 No one reads my posts but I just want to vent. Musk and Trump will over play their hands and start to look vindictive, and yes 'mean', and start to loose favor with new Trump voters. Only hard core types like us like these draconian moves
Posted by: anon2020 at February 24, 2025 05:37 PM (RqMDa)

They've already found and shared that Treasury recently "lost" $4.7 trillion dollars and you are concerned they will look "mean"?

Posted by: Helena Handbasket at February 24, 2025 05:43 PM (Vqx30)

255 Speaking of killing, I’m totally going to murderlize this Taco Bell chalupa and nachos bell grande.

Posted by: Thomas Bender at February 24, 2025 05:43 PM (y+6yP)

256 Oh goody, resident troll found new funding.

Posted by: Lizzy at February 24, 2025 05:43 PM (Hkcdp)

257 What if you're a forest ranger, and there's no internet connection for 500 miles?
Posted by: BurtTC at February 24, 2025 05:18 PM (dGCAG)

Unless you live in an unpowered cabin in the woods and your rangering duties could never require calling anyone for assistance, it seems unlikely that you're always 10 hours from civilization.

Posted by: I used to have a different nic at February 24, 2025 05:43 PM (ExV1e)

258 Musk could show up ad a cross between a dragon prince and Vlad the Impaler and it would not be too draconian for my tastes.

I think bodies should be hung from the exterior of federal building.

Posted by: Aetius451AD work phone at February 24, 2025 05:44 PM (zZu0s)

259 If 90% of the feds were gone tomorow, would YOU notice? I don't think I would.

Posted by: free tibet with purchase of equal or greater value tibet at February 24, 2025 05:44 PM (iNp3L)

260 229, LOL, ISWYDT !

Posted by: sock_rat_eez at February 24, 2025 05:44 PM (RP0h0)

261 No one reads my posts but I just want to vent. Musk and Trump will over play their hands and start to look vindictive, and yes 'mean', and start to loose favor with new Trump voters. Only hard core types like us like these draconian moves

Posted by: anon2020 at February 24, 2025 05:37 PM (RqMDa)

lose

Posted by: Comrade Flounder, Disinformation Demon at February 24, 2025 05:44 PM (i24o9)

262 I'd sorta like to know what they do in order to warrant hundreds of billions of American tax dollars.
===

You don't "sorta" want to know anything doofus.

You're too dumb to understand anyway.

Posted by: San Franpsycho at February 24, 2025 05:44 PM (PxIx9)

263 >> But there are terms of employment, which I don't know of course. But this is leakier than hell, and in DC you aren't going to get a forgiving judge, especially if they can find you violated your own processes.

BS. The President can fire any executive branch employee.

Posted by: Disinterested FDA Director at February 24, 2025 05:44 PM (GXB4V)

264 f you are a non-existent employee--you have no rights employment or other. That was the purpose for this exercise. Pinging the system so to speak.

Unions cannot file grievances for non-existent employees either unless they want to find themselves violating criminal law statutes.
Posted by: whig at February 24

I never said they would be meritorious grievances. You still have to listen to them.

Posted by: Piper at February 24, 2025 05:44 PM (p4NUW)

265 If the goal is to see who is working and not working, the emails should have cascaded down through agency heads.
Posted by: Piper at February 24, 2025 05:42 PM (p4NUW)
--------------

Piper, you're operating under the assumption department heads are "honest brokers."

Everything we've seen says we cannot afford to make that assumption.

Posted by: blake - semi lurker in marginal standing (tT6L1) at February 24, 2025 05:44 PM (tT6L1)

266 232 Skipping this is losing an opportunity to convince Trump/Musk that you and your office matter at a time when we are only gonna have funds to pay for stuff that matters

Posted by: Nova Local at February 24, 2025 05:39 PM (exHjb)
==
What do you think the goal is here?
Posted by: Black JEM at February 24, 2025 05:40 PM (GZYu7)

Why have one goal?
I'm sure they are planning on finding fraud and abuse. And not enacting EOs (like folks saying they are still doing DEI work).

But, as mentioned above, I also think they want to find team players to know how to "break job spot ties" later - who would they want to lose and who would they not.

And I think they also want to know who can do the big asks...that's being a team player AND being a smart and hard-working fed (whether R or D) - so they find the gems they are looking for from the write ups b/c they are there...they just burrowed in the last few years.

Posted by: Nova Local at February 24, 2025 05:45 PM (exHjb)

267 And Whig, they won’t file on the non-existent ee, they will file for the ones there and they will find the dumbest section of the CBA to hang their hat on.

Posted by: Piper at February 24, 2025 05:45 PM (p4NUW)

268 I don't understand why run of the mill gays, lesbians and trannies want to assassinate Musk. He's just firing redundant and useless bureaucrats. It's not like he's opening death camps.
Wait, did Heinrich Himmler fire bureaucrats? I don't remember.

Posted by: Northernlurker , Maple Syrup MAGA at February 24, 2025 05:46 PM (kTd/k)

269 I don't care if federal employees are pissed off. I've been pissed off for years. They can take their job and shove it.

Posted by: fd at February 24, 2025 05:46 PM (vFG9F)

270 @245

>> I need to know about HR opinions, government workers and politicians.

Imagine the drama if they asked them where they see themselves in the company in the next 5 years.

Posted by: Thomas Bender at February 24, 2025 05:46 PM (y+6yP)

271 258, this!

Posted by: sock_rat_eez at February 24, 2025 05:46 PM (RP0h0)

272 Piper, you're operating under the assumption department heads are "honest brokers."

Everything we've seen says we cannot afford to make that assumption.
Posted by: blake - semi lurker in marginal standing (tT6L1) at February 24, 2025 05:44 PM (tT6L1)

He did not even consult with the new Heads of those agencies, the ones who just got appointed.

Many of them then said, IGNORE THIS EMAIL... and rightfully so.

DOGE is not Tesla... I like Elon and think he is doing great stuff, but he was wrong on this one.

Posted by: Romeo13 at February 24, 2025 05:47 PM (QAkQ3)

273 If you are working from home, then you should see when each and every email comes in, probably within 5 minutes. This email was probably used to detect who is doing work and who is still in bed or out shopping, etc...

Posted by: Lemmiwinks at February 24, 2025 05:47 PM (Vb/md)

274
Piper, you're operating under the assumption department heads are "honest brokers."

Everything we've seen says we cannot afford to make that assumption.
Posted by: blake - semi lurker in marginal standing

I mean the Pete Hegseths of the world. This was a HUGE opportunity loss for establishing leadership for those roles.

Posted by: Piper at February 24, 2025 05:47 PM (p4NUW)

275 Government work was really boring until the Internet came along.

I assure you that everyone's manager has a log of what his employees are doing and where on the Internet

When one of the contacted network security swinging dicks was leaving NASA for the private sector, he told me that one of my contractor co-workers had the biggest log of visiting porn sites than he had ever seen.

Contractors did everything and did anything that NASA didn't approve of.

All these people do typically is sit and surf the web about 80% opf the time they are at their desks.

Posted by: pawn at February 24, 2025 05:47 PM (QB+5g)

276 I know directly from a couple of people inside the federal government that they are freaking the fuck out over this email.

And it's so stupid. 'Cause Musk all but said, "I don't care what you respond I'm just asking you to respond."

As I said, the first response by agency management was to dishonestly tell the employees to flag the email as spam.
Then they told them not to respond. Then to respond. Then to recall the message if they did "pending further guidance.
So the current tact is to pretend they are not sure how they are to respond.

So, if you wanted to prove that the federal government is over-staffed with do-nothings and no-shows--you couldn't have designed a better trap.

Posted by: People's Hippo Voice at February 24, 2025 05:47 PM (IIsq3)

277 I guess all you trumptards need more than 48 hours to figure out what Netanyahu does for that money while you worship your rocket man and his illgitamit kids.

Posted by: raimondo at February 24, 2025 05:47 PM (u8Jdh)

278 If the goal is to see who is working and not working, the emails should have cascaded down through agency heads.
Posted by: Piper at February 24, 2025 05:42 PM (p4NUW)

I don't know piper. the agency heads , other than the few headed by Trump appointees are all deep state. The element of surprise is worth it. Say Musk would have told Rubio, and he would have told his reports. That would have got out, and the ones they want to find would have been on the lookout. What you are describing is a process, and process killed many a good initiative. Bureaucracy loves process.

Posted by: runner at February 24, 2025 05:47 PM (g47mK)

279 > 190 Dan Crenshaw caught on video saying if he ever met Tucker Carlson he'd, "...fucking kill him. It's not a joke."

And to think I actually liked TEMU McCain at one time.

To my credit, I was never fooled by that little crapweasel Paul Ryan for a second

Posted by: Rodrigo Borgia at February 24, 2025 05:47 PM (W5ArC)

280 If I needed a decision from a county worker, I would always schedule the meeting for 4:00. Rest assured we were always done by 5. "Oh, look at the time."

Posted by: Mr. Barky at February 24, 2025 05:47 PM (Hb1TX)

281 >>Piper, you're operating under the assumption department heads are "honest brokers."

Everything we've seen says we cannot afford to make that assumption.
Posted by: blake - semi lurker in marginal standing (tT6L1) at February 24, 2025 05:44 PM (tT6L1)
__
This. And enough of this "cascading" b.s. Sounds like "trickle down accountability."

Posted by: Frasier Crane at February 24, 2025 05:48 PM (bNf8H)

282 >> It was a simple fucking request from the President via Musk. A request that can be answered in under 5 minutes. One of the answers could be 1. Responded to this email.

This is my thinking on this...easiest way for an admin to figure out a baseline of accounts that are active, and another data set for responses.

Posted by: garrett at February 24, 2025 05:48 PM (oa1NA)

283 @268

>> I don't understand why run of the mill gays, lesbians and trannies want to assassinate Musk.

Because we are discovering that every grift and bad idea is is being funded by taxpayer moola.

As always, follow the money.

Posted by: Thomas Bender at February 24, 2025 05:48 PM (y+6yP)

284 I had managers in years past who would ask for a weekly list of what I had been doing (asked of his entire team, not just me). I guess they, in turn, had to report up the chain. A case of asking other people to do their jobs for them. To me, it really just said that they really had no understanding of WTH I actually did, and had no way to measure what, if anything, had actually been done. It makes you really want to ask THEM, "Just what is it you do here? (for significantly more money than me)."

I could almost kind of see the intelligence-related agencies taking pause with this. The last thing THEY want is for somebody somewhere to have a complete list of exactly what each of them is doing.

With all that being said, it is hardly an affront to human dignity to ask for, and even the intelligence agencies can say what they're doing in generic terms. As I understand it, the idea was to look for people who didn't respond within 24 hours, to identify who wasn't even firing up their computers, and who maybe was on the email list despite not even working there.

Posted by: MrExcitement at February 24, 2025 05:48 PM (hOOi9)

285
He did not even consult with the new Heads of those agencies, the ones who just got appointed.

Many of them then said, IGNORE THIS EMAIL... and rightfully so.

Has there been follow up on this ?

Posted by: It's me donna at February 24, 2025 05:48 PM (VE6XX)

286 too many people lost jobs and had to sweat doing multiple jobs to get by for them to have any sympathy for coddled government workers.
Posted by: blake - semi

-

Yep.

With very few exceptions all government employees are DMV workers.

They did this to themselves.

Posted by: Boron Quidquid questions if McConnell survived after having polio at February 24, 2025 05:48 PM (v2X2H)

287 > illgitamit

Good lord.

Posted by: bonhomme at February 24, 2025 05:48 PM (lIio7)

288 I like the idea of fucking around with these pampered pricks just because it gives them a taste of what they subject the rest of us to.

Their hatred of middle America is palatable. Right back at you, slick.

Posted by: Field Marshal Zhukov now, where does a war hero get some lubrication around here? at February 24, 2025 05:48 PM (wBaIH)

289 Even if this was an Elon stunt, it was worth it because it highlighted what whiny useless twats these workers are. Part of this is a PR game. The more the public sees how useless these people are, thr better.

Posted by: Elric Blade at February 24, 2025 05:49 PM (SnEY6)

290 Curtis seems to Mitt without the charisma. He was a Republican then when Bush won became a Dem and then back to Republican. Mayor of Provo, replaced Jason Chaffetz as congressman, then replaced Mitt. A lifer without a firm belief beyond getting elected. Stuff your dignity and compassion

Posted by: Smell the Glove at February 24, 2025 05:49 PM (cMcMn)

291 Many of them then said, IGNORE THIS EMAIL... and rightfully so.

Has there been follow up on this ?
-

I don't think the Find Out time limit has passed yet.

Posted by: Boron Quidquid questions if McConnell survived after having polio at February 24, 2025 05:49 PM (v2X2H)

292 urs to figure out what Netanyahu does for that money while you worship your rocket man and his illgitamit kids.
Posted by: raimondo at February 24, 2025 05:47

"Illgitamit?" Department of Education for the win!

Posted by: Josephistan at February 24, 2025 05:50 PM (G0Uu2)

293 One of the fun things for the FBI to investigate is how much funding environmental groups have gotten from Russian front organizations to frustrate oil and gas development.
Posted by: The ARC of History!
=======
Haven't caught on yet? Russians aren't needed. They go to likeminded friends within government who grant it out to NGOs who launder it through each other until it reaches the activists, after taking their share of vig. You the taxpayer pay for it, not Russia or anyone else. You.

Posted by: From about That Time at February 24, 2025 05:50 PM (n4GiU)

294 I mean the Pete Hegseths of the world. This was a HUGE opportunity loss for establishing leadership for those roles.
Posted by: Piper at February 24, 2025 05:47 PM (p4NUW)
----------

That makes more sense. I was thinking in terms of mid level managers, who I believe have already shown they're not on board with President Trump's agenda.

Posted by: blake - semi lurker in marginal standing (tT6L1) at February 24, 2025 05:50 PM (tT6L1)

295 Many of them then said, IGNORE THIS EMAIL... and rightfully so.

Has there been follow up on this ?
Posted by: It's me donna

Bongino said right today, stay tuned, there was a reason.

Posted by: weft cut-loop at February 24, 2025 05:50 PM (mlg/3)

296 So now Kash looks like a nice reasonable boss to the workers he said to "pause" their response. Musk is the hatchet. Nice play, guys.
and of course, Trump's not up for re-elect, so honey badger just don't care.

Posted by: lurkersquirl at February 24, 2025 05:50 PM (+TUCK)

297 Has there been follow up on this ?
-

I don't think the Find Out time limit has passed yet.
Posted by: Boron Quidquid questions if McConnell survived after having polio at February 24, 2025 05:49 PM (v2X2H)

I mean has any of the Cabinet members said any more about this ?

Posted by: It's me donna at February 24, 2025 05:50 PM (VE6XX)

298 As I said, the first response by agency management was to dishonestly tell the employees to flag the email as spam.
Then they told them not to respond. Then to respond. Then to recall the message if they did "pending further guidance.
So the current tact is to pretend they are not sure how they are to respond.

So, if you wanted to prove that the federal government is over-staffed with do-nothings and no-shows--you couldn't have designed a better trap.
Posted by: People's Hippo Voice at February 24, 2025 05:47 PM (IIsq3)

Hopefully DOGE is tracking all of the internal emails and chats about this simple request, and use the attempted obstruction of the duly-elected President as evidence for more mass-firings.

Posted by: Disinterested FDA Director at February 24, 2025 05:50 PM (GXB4V)

299 You know, the people who actually do shit usually have no problem telling you, at length, all the stupid shit they have to do every day. I'd respond to that email in a heartbeat. Starting off with 'settle in, Elon, let me tell you about TPS reports...'

Posted by: Aetius451AD work phone at February 24, 2025 05:51 PM (zZu0s)

300 What harm could come from answering the email anyway?

Posted by: fd at February 24, 2025 05:51 PM (vFG9F)

301 >>> illgitamit
Good lord.
Posted by: bonhomme at February 24, 2025 05:48 PM (lIio7)

Oh you need an outfielder? Sure, I can play, but first ...

Posted by: banana Dream at February 24, 2025 05:51 PM (cduTK)

302 Even if this was an Elon stunt, it was worth it because it highlighted what whiny useless twats these workers are. Part of this is a PR game. The more the public sees how useless these people are, thr better.
Posted by: Elric Blade at
-

Yep. A "let's work to make this the greatest country and organization in history" would've been a much better idea than "f-ck all yall these our jobs!"

Posted by: Boron Quidquid questions if McConnell survived after having polio at February 24, 2025 05:51 PM (v2X2H)

303 Posted by: Romeo13 at February 24, 2025 05:47 PM (QAkQ3)

Why was he wrong and what about the email request was wrong?

While in the Navy If you got an email from the Admiral’s head of staff asking the same question would you think he should have gone through your immediate superior first ?

Posted by: Sebastian Melmoth at February 24, 2025 05:51 PM (VofaG)

304 pinhead troll never disappoints, lol

Posted by: sock_rat_eez at February 24, 2025 05:51 PM (RP0h0)

305 Utah isn't the conservative bastion it used to be. The mormon president, Russell Nelson, even green-lit a covid vax mandate before Biden did.

Posted by: Tinfoil Dispenser at February 24, 2025 05:51 PM (ERYKL)

306 >>I mean the Pete Hegseths of the world. This was a HUGE opportunity loss for establishing leadership for those roles.
Posted by: Piper at February 24, 2025 05:47 PM (p4NUW)
__
Beg to differ. Here's the message: "If you even think you can turn Hegseth like you did his predecessors, think again. You work for Trump, just like Hegseth does."

Posted by: Frasier Crane at February 24, 2025 05:52 PM (bNf8H)

307 Aaaand...... just for the record....

There have been many, many "out of bandwidth" (non-governmental) surveys that were required by federal employees.

- Do you like your healthcare?
- Have you been sexually harassed?
- Is your work environment "safe?"
- Can you find adequate child care?
- Is parking or public transportation an issue for you?

This list can go on forever.

Posted by: Martini Farmer at February 24, 2025 05:52 PM (Q4IgG)

308
Imagine the drama if they asked them where they see themselves in the company in the next 5 years.
Posted by: Thomas Bender at February

I advised every manager regardless of level if they chose to ask this question, they better be ready to map out their development plan to get them there- or tell them that no, kiddo, you aren’t going to be CEO in 5 years. Granted, I expected succession plans to actually do this and not be names on a piece of paper with hopes and dreams as the method to get employees there. I was all hung up on numbers, business outcomes and other details like that. 😂

Posted by: Piper at February 24, 2025 05:52 PM (p4NUW)

309 Many of them then said, IGNORE THIS EMAIL... and rightfully so.

DOGE is not Tesla... I like Elon and think he is doing great stuff, but he was wrong on this one.
Posted by: Romeo13 at February 24, 2025 05:47 PM (QAkQ3)
-------------
As I said to piper, I was thinking mid level managers, not people like Kash or Pete.

I don't think it was a blunder so, we'll just have to see how it plays out.

Posted by: blake - semi lurker in marginal standing (tT6L1) at February 24, 2025 05:52 PM (tT6L1)

310 mean has any of the Cabinet members said any more about this ?

-

I don't think the federal employees are through yet.

Posted by: Boron Quidquid questions if McConnell survived after having polio at February 24, 2025 05:52 PM (v2X2H)

311 How are they going to process that volume of emails? Unpossible.

Posted by: Boss Moss at February 24, 2025 05:52 PM (G9iYQ)

312 many department budgets are drivien by the number of bodies in the department ... my bet is that there are plenty of dead emails still being counted as workers in a department ... this should cull a large number of those ... plus the metadata on any responses should be fun to cross check ...

Posted by: The Dark Lord at February 24, 2025 05:53 PM (DBAaD)

313 When demons run out out of money, they'll grab weapons.
Also they love innocences as a food.

Posted by: humphreyrobot at February 24, 2025 05:53 PM (6JynX)

314 306 __
Beg to differ. Here's the message: "If you even think you can turn Hegseth like you did his predecessors, think again. You work for Trump, just like Hegseth does."
Posted by: Frasier Crane

And when Hegseth said don’t answer the email, what message was sent? Fractured leadership, or lockstep leadership?

Posted by: Piper at February 24, 2025 05:53 PM (p4NUW)

315 >>> 247 This isn't about employee relations (although I am confident you would be good at that).

This is an audit.
Posted by: Helena Handbasket

It’s an audit with huge labor and employee relations impacts, and if the goal is ghost employees, that should be able to happen through a number of ways.

If the goal is to see who is working and not working, the emails should have cascaded down through agency heads.
Posted by: Piper at February 24, 2025 05:42 PM (p4NUW)

I imagine seeing who is and isn't working, and which emails may be 'dummy' accounts, aren't the only goals.

I don't GAF about how it makes the real employees feel; they have (collectively) been fcking us - their employers - over to the tune of trillions of dollars of waste and grift, regulatory strangulation, and aggressive and sometimes lethal law enforcement of the ludicrously oversized feralgov code for *decades*. I think you are grossly underestimating the level of corruption we are dealing with. It *must* be attacked relentlessly and *quickly* to succeed. That's assuming it's still possible to do so without um, resorting to other means.

Posted by: Helena Handbasket at February 24, 2025 05:53 PM (Vqx30)

316 now Kash looks like a nice reasonable boss to the workers he said to "pause" their response. Musk is the hatchet. Nice play, guys.
and of course, Trump's not up for re-elect, so honey badger just don't care.
Posted by: lurkersquirl at February 24, 2025 05:50 PM (+TUCK)

That’s some 4th dimensional chess right there.

Posted by: Sebastian Melmoth at February 24, 2025 05:53 PM (VofaG)

317 They've already found and shared that Treasury recently "lost" $4.7 trillion dollars and you are concerned they will look "mean"?

Posted by: Helena Handbasket at February 24, 2025 05:43 PM (Vqx30)
----------------------

-I- am not concerned, I am just concerned about how nonMAGA Trump voters react. Good managers should know which employees work hard and which don't
This looks petty and the 'risk of being fired' is overkill.

Posted by: anon2020 at February 24, 2025 05:53 PM (RqMDa)

318 Anyone else remember Lisa Jackson, Obamas EPA head using a “Richard Windsor” email account to conduct business?

There had been a Richard Windsor who was EPA May years earlier that somehow remained active and was used by Jackson, and Bill Clinton’s EPA head before that.

There had been email stayed active across several administrations, maybe even still active now. How many of these types of ghost employee accounts have remained active?
-------------
Every single bit of that was a Federal crime that the Dems just "normalized away" when Hillary was caught doing the same thing. Government records are just that--*government* records, and belong to We-the-People, NOT the author or recipient of the email.

Posted by: Crusader at February 24, 2025 05:54 PM (TN0g+)

319 "How are they going to process that volume of emails? Unpossible.
Posted by: Boss Moss"

It will be easy enough to see who does not reply and then deal with those.

Posted by: fd at February 24, 2025 05:54 PM (vFG9F)

320 I drove up the coast overnight and landed smack in the middle of the DC commute starting at 8:30 this morning and breezed right thru it. I couldn't tell that it was a rush hour.

Where was everybody? I'm beginning to believe those who say government workers haven't been to their buildings in years. Morning rush hour traffic was much lighter than weekend afternoons I've experienced down there.
Posted by: t-bird at February 24, 2025 05:42 PM (4SKzt)
------
Don't know where everybody was, but I can tell you that when I was a federal employee many years ago we had to be at our desks no later than 8:00, so I wouldn't have been on the road at 8:30. When I worked for a law firm in DC before that, no one had to be there before 9:00.

Also, only 20% of the federal workforce works in the DC area, and a lot of people that work outside the government still work from home around here, so rush hour is still not what it was before COVID.

Posted by: bluebell at February 24, 2025 05:54 PM (79pEw)

321 311 ... How are they going to process that volume of emails? Unpossible.
--------

AI

Posted by: Wardo at February 24, 2025 05:54 PM (h8Giw)

322 299, exactly!
I would have responded within an hour.

Posted by: sock_rat_eez at February 24, 2025 05:54 PM (RP0h0)

323 309
I don't think it was a blunder so, we'll just have to see how it plays out.
Posted by: blake - semi lurker

The concept is not a blunder. The execution has been rockier than it needed to be.

Posted by: Piper at February 24, 2025 05:54 PM (p4NUW)

324 maxine water's hair makes more sense than raimondo.

Posted by: blake - semi lurker in marginal standing (tT6L1) at February 24, 2025 05:54 PM (tT6L1)

325
Secretary Sean Duffy

@SecDuffy
Mr. President, 5 things I did last week:

1. Terminated NYC elitist, anti-worker congestion pricing.
2. Launched an investigation into the $16 billion in taxpayer dollars wasted on a high-speed rail project that, after 17 years, has yet to lay a single mile of track.
3. Saved $10 million a year by eliminating redundant and outdated landlines.
4. Visited the Air Traffic Control Command Center in Virginia to see the critical tech upgrades we need to make our air traffic system the envy of the world.
5. Toured Burbank, California traffic control tower and heard from air traffic controllers about how to improve conditions and retain and recruit more controllers.

Looking forward to another week of fighting for Americans
@USDOT
!

Posted by: redridinghood at February 24, 2025 05:54 PM (NpAcC)

326 It's difficult to have compassion for entitled snotnoses who are getting smackereled across the face by reality.

Posted by: Miley, okravangelist at February 24, 2025 05:55 PM (w6EFb)

327 "DOGE is not Tesla... I like Elon and think he is doing great stuff, but he was wrong on this one."

He was? So the citizens of this country have no right to know what the people whos salaries we are paying are doing to earn them?

Yeah...No.

Posted by: New nick time! Certified dangerous radical that puts ketchup on hotdogs plus, imma wannabe ratfink! at February 24, 2025 05:55 PM (89Sog)

328 Some Trump-appointed heads of departments, like Kash Patel, are actually advising workers to ignore the email, or "pause their response," at least.

In the National Guard, federal employees were directed not to respond. And if they had already responded, they were given some person's contact information to notify.

Posted by: Military Moron at February 24, 2025 05:55 PM (ycI94)

329 >>> 265

--------------

Piper, you're operating under the assumption department heads are "honest brokers."

Everything we've seen says we cannot afford to make that assumption.
Posted by: blake - semi lurker in marginal standing (tT6L1) at February 24, 2025 05:44 PM (tT6L1)

Heh, iow, you shouldn't assume they are like you!

Posted by: Helena Handbasket at February 24, 2025 05:56 PM (Vqx30)

330 What if you're a forest ranger, and there's no internet connection for 500 miles?
Posted by: BurtTC

Actually, it's only 100 miles. Straight up.
Gee, I wonder who managed to accomplish that?

Posted by: stu-mick-o-sucks at February 24, 2025 05:56 PM (DsA2n)

331 316 now Kash looks like a nice reasonable boss to the workers he said to "pause" their response.

Did he ? All I see is what the media tells me happened.. That's why I asked if anymore has come from Patel and the others about this ?

Posted by: It's me donna at February 24, 2025 05:56 PM (VE6XX)

332 AP didn't get TRO to force Trump to let them back in. I hope the administration has lawyers working on an omnibus response to TROs and judges overstepping there boundaries. The SC will want a tight argument to do something big

Posted by: Smell the Glove at February 24, 2025 05:56 PM (cMcMn)

333 All of the hand-wringing over government employees, paid for with OUR tax dollars, but no empathy for the poor MSNBC, NBC and CNN employees who lost their jobs? That's right, the alphabet people aren't tax whore grifters, so they don't matter.

Posted by: Indy Bill at February 24, 2025 05:56 PM (+WI3k)

334 Posted by: Comrade Flounder, Disinformation Demon at February 24, 2025 05:44 PM (i24o9)

I really wonder sometimes if you and me are the same person.

Posted by: ... at February 24, 2025 05:56 PM (lX8VI)

335 >> I could almost kind of see the intelligence-related agencies taking pause with this. The last thing THEY want is for somebody somewhere to have a complete list of exactly what each of them is doing.

The original request said to not include classified information.

If an intelligence employee can’t figure out how to reply without compromising national security, then perhaps they should be fired?

Posted by: Disinterested FDA Director at February 24, 2025 05:56 PM (GXB4V)

336 This is an audit.
Posted by: Helena Handbasket

It’s an audit with huge labor and employee relations impacts, and if the goal is ghost employees, that should be able to happen through a number of ways.

Actually it's a test. Audits are a methodological things that every institution understands. Tests aren't.

Posted by: weft cut-loop at February 24, 2025 05:56 PM (mlg/3)

337 For what it's worth, I cannot get mad or even miffed at Piper.

TX MoMe's where you meet the person behind the screen sort of makes it impossible.

....yes, that was a plug for 10th anniversary edition. Why do you ask?

Posted by: blake - semi lurker in marginal standing (tT6L1) at February 24, 2025 05:57 PM (tT6L1)

338 Looks like Sen Curtis borrowed the stick Mitt Romney had up his ass

Posted by: 18-1 at February 24, 2025 05:13 PM (t0Rmr)

A stick has 2 ends. What makes you think romney gave it up?

Posted by: Berserker-Dragonheads Division at February 24, 2025 05:57 PM (VwHCD)

339 u8Jdh sounds like some loser moby who has been lurking long enough to sock a troll.

Posted by: Helena Handbasket at February 24, 2025 05:58 PM (Vqx30)

340 Imagine what Elon's 5 bullets are ....

Now thats a productive week.

Posted by: Wardo at February 24, 2025 05:58 PM (h8Giw)

341 This is a classic Trump move too ... do something over the top ... get a reaction from the bad actors who have now self identified ... hone in on those bad actors and grind them to dust ...

the folks throwing up some sort of "chain of command" thing are setting themselves up for a fall since at the TOP of all of their "chain of command" is the President.

If the email had come from the Office of the President they would have no cover ...

If too many folks play that game I would expect to see an email from Trump directly ... which they simply can't ignore (no matter what their Dept head claims)

Posted by: The Dark Lord at February 24, 2025 05:58 PM (DBAaD)

342 327 "DOGE is not Tesla... I like Elon and think he is doing great stuff, but he was wrong on this one."

He was? So the citizens of this country have no right to know what the people whos salaries we are paying are doing to earn them?

Yeah...No.
Posted by: New nick time! Certified dangerous radical that puts ketchup on hotdogs plus, imma wannabe ratfink! at February 24, 2025 05:55 PM (89Sog)

This could actually be turned into a good thing. Elon finds some of the hardworking feds and releases their answers (without names)...says we do have some awesome feds working in the government now and I'll do what I can to make sure our streamlined federal government is filled with folks like these...

Posted by: Nova Local at February 24, 2025 05:58 PM (exHjb)

343 fbi save money with Patel in charge by getting rid of toilets. He can make them all go in the streets. cheetoking will say they are the best street poopers ever.

Posted by: raimondo at February 24, 2025 05:58 PM (u8Jdh)

344 He did the same thing after he bought x. That's how he knew who to get rid of and who to keep.

Posted by: Happy at February 24, 2025 05:58 PM (TgtUI)

345 317 They've already found and shared that Treasury recently "lost" $4.7 trillion dollars and you are concerned they will look "mean"?

Posted by: Helena Handbasket

To terminate someone in a union, you have to have just cause- this is going to be ugly. Needlessly. I don’t care about mean, but I do care about sound bites if termed employees are reinstated and all we hear for the next forever they Trump was wrong and had to rehire yahoos that shouldn’t be rehired. Let’s term them, if justified, and have the terms stick.

Posted by: Piper at February 24, 2025 05:58 PM (p4NUW)

346 Buying up hundreds of winzip subscriptions is orders of magnitude worse than sending $ 20 MM to transvestites in Mozambique so they can buy condoms.

Winzip is infamnia

Posted by: kallisto at February 24, 2025 05:58 PM (jznp7)

347
btw, I truly believe it's a very good thing Vivek washed out immediately at DOGE, because he would've done nothing but Bring Heat with his big fucking mouth.

You think DOGE brings heat? You think Elon brings heat?

All this Bullshit we're enduring would be 10X with Vivek.

Posted by: Soothsayer at February 24, 2025 05:58 PM (kvigd)

348
If too many folks play that game I would expect to see an email from Trump directly ... which they simply can't ignore (no matter what their Dept head claims)

Posted by: The Dark Lord at February 24, 2025 05:58 PM (DBAaD)

Which is what I said earlier

Posted by: It's me donna at February 24, 2025 05:59 PM (VE6XX)

349 Remember, y’all, union employees are not at will employees. The ball field is different.

Posted by: Piper at February 24, 2025 05:59 PM (p4NUW)

350 fbi save money with Patel in charge by getting rid of toilets. He can make them all go in the streets. cheetoking will say they are the best street poopers ever.
-

Raimondo is going to be arguing against H1Bs here soon.

Posted by: Boron Quidquid questions if McConnell survived after having polio at February 24, 2025 05:59 PM (v2X2H)

351 You know why I want the threat of being fired out there, always? Because it means my fucking job actually MEANS something. Pull your weight or go the fuck home, entitled wastes of space.

Posted by: Aetius451AD work phone at February 24, 2025 05:59 PM (zZu0s)

352 "I don't think it was a blunder so, we'll just have to see how it plays out."

The email was a sounding rocket testing to see what would be the reaction.

I's say trial balloon but this one had some teeth.

Posted by: pawn at February 24, 2025 06:00 PM (QB+5g)

353 Sounds like USAID was a LGBQXYZ fund, why wouldn't they be mad that cash cow ended?

Posted by: Skip at February 24, 2025 06:00 PM (fwDg9)

354
Process Performance Enhancement goes way way back.

I had a supervisor removed at a job I worked part time in college 'cause he didn't meet the improvement goals that were set; pissed me off at the time as we were working our asses off.

Posted by: Auspex at February 24, 2025 06:00 PM (j4U/Z)

355 Remember, y’all, union employees are not at will employees. The ball field is different.
Posted by: Piper at

-

Yes.

Use this to destroy an employee union that should never exist against America.

Posted by: Boron Quidquid questions if McConnell survived after having polio at February 24, 2025 06:00 PM (v2X2H)

356 Raimondo is going to be arguing against H1Bs here soon.
Posted by: Boron Quidquid questions if McConnell survived after having polio at February 24, 2025 05:59 PM (v2X2H)
---------------

I don't believe Raimondo is qualified to add 2 + 2, let alone weigh in on H1B's.

Posted by: blake - semi lurker in marginal standing (tT6L1) at February 24, 2025 06:00 PM (tT6L1)

357 Sorry about raimondo. We had a lot of nitrus oxide left over from the weekend.

Posted by: Pawl at February 24, 2025 06:00 PM (vFG9F)

358 349 Remember, y’all, union employees are not at will employees. The ball field is different.
Posted by: Piper at February 24, 2025 05:59 PM (p4NUW)

Til you outlaw fed gov unions...

Posted by: Nova Local at February 24, 2025 06:00 PM (exHjb)

359 >>> 296 So now Kash looks like a nice reasonable boss to the workers he said to "pause" their response. Musk is the hatchet. Nice play, guys.
and of course, Trump's not up for re-elect, so honey badger just don't care.
Posted by: lurkersquirl at February 24, 2025 05:50 PM (+TUCK)

Hmm, I like it.

Posted by: Helena Handbasket at February 24, 2025 06:01 PM (Vqx30)

360 One leftie drone thought it was clever as shit to tell non-government employees to respond.
Stupidly thinking it'd clog up the ability for Musk to review.

Yeah, 'cause he don't know how to program a response to discard all emails that don't have a .gov.

Good lord the left is stupid.

Posted by: People's Hippo Voice at February 24, 2025 06:01 PM (IIsq3)

361 Was in the USAF when Reagan dealt with PATCO controllers. Made a lot of happy USAF ATCs, as they were released from service obligations and moved to a higher paying job for the Fed ATC system.

Posted by: EdmundBurkesShade at February 24, 2025 06:01 PM (WvGHv)

362 358 349 Remember, y’all, union employees are not at will employees. The ball field is different.
Posted by: Piper at February 24, 2025 05:59 PM (p4NUW)

Til you outlaw fed gov unions...
Posted by: Nova Local at February

Which I would not mind seeing happen. In the meantime, we are here.

Posted by: Piper at February 24, 2025 06:02 PM (p4NUW)

363 I've posited several comments.

I think, ultimately, the goal was to gin up a discussion on the federal government and how inefficient it is.

Mission Accomplished. > American Flag <

Posted by: Martini Farmer at February 24, 2025 06:02 PM (Q4IgG)

364 Trump told Elon to speed it up and he agreed

Posted by: It's me donna at February 24, 2025 06:02 PM (VE6XX)

365 > The mormon president, Russell Nelson, even green-lit a covid vax mandate before Biden did.

I'm curious what this refers to. Lots of conservative LDS members chafed at these statements:

“We have prayed often for this literal godsend...” referring to the vaccine.

“The Church urges its members, employees and missionaries to be good global citizens and help quell the pandemic by safeguarding themselves and others through immunization...”

“Individuals are responsible to make their own decisions about vaccination.”

Posted by: bonhomme at February 24, 2025 06:02 PM (lIio7)

366 To terminate someone in a union, you have to have just cause- this is going to be ugly. Needlessly. I don’t care about mean, but I do care about sound bites if termed employees are reinstated and all we hear for the next forever they Trump was wrong and had to rehire yahoos that shouldn’t be rehired. Let’s term them, if justified, and have the terms stick.
----------
Love you piper, but sometimes "The process is the punishment", and we've certainly been on the receiving end of it for a very long time. This isn't the time to go soft. Let Trump and Elon push as hard as they like.

Posted by: Crusader at February 24, 2025 06:02 PM (TN0g+)

367
Vivek's "Plan"
1. become a conservative firebrand
2. squander all the goodwill you earned, resign from a great opportunity to do good things
3. run for governor
4. lose
5. disappear into obscurity

Posted by: Soothsayer at February 24, 2025 06:03 PM (kvigd)

368 267 And Whig, they won’t file on the non-existent ee, they will file for the ones there and they will find the dumbest section of the CBA to hang their hat on.
Posted by: Piper
======
Not going to win that one in court. Federal employment is actually quite different than state or local government, let alone private companies. Essentially, federal unions at all exist at the behest of FMLA but many of those collective bargaining provisions are essentially limited by the fact that the Constitution and repeated Scotus court decisions have, when it comes right down to it, sided with the president as fedgov employment is treated separately as a constitutional matter that even Congress cannot affect. Agency heads, etc. essentially have to follow the removal procedures set by Congress as they are inferior officials, officers of the US can be removed for cause unless they are members of independent regulatory commissions (arguably in Weiner and Humphrey's Executor, even those have been eroded by recent Scotus decisions). Myers decision provides that the President's actions are different than those of underlings even in the matter of employment law.

Posted by: whig at February 24, 2025 06:03 PM (ctrM5)

369 Hey BM,

Everyone of your and everyone else's emails are processed for certain things and copied by several parties unless you are doing the encrypted thing.

Posted by: pawn at February 24, 2025 06:03 PM (QB+5g)

370 Remember, y’all, union employees are not at will employees. The ball field is different.
Posted by: Piper

True dat! Also we should have never had public sector unions.

Posted by: She Hobbit at February 24, 2025 06:03 PM (ftFVW)

371 Years ago I worked in a federal office as a contractor. Every person on our team had to submit weekly reports that included a detailed accounting of our work over the previous week. We submitted a computer document following a specific format that were then automatically merged into a report that went to our corporate management and the government contact administrators. This is not a new concept.

Posted by: WarEagle82 at February 24, 2025 06:03 PM (YcfMX)

372 I don't use email.

Posted by: Boss Moss at February 24, 2025 06:04 PM (G9iYQ)

373 This isn't the time to go soft. Let Trump and Elon push as hard as they like.
Posted by: Crusader at February 24, 2025 06:02 PM (TN0g+)

Do you think you could buy cadavers from med schools to hang from the side of buildings? Or go a more 'High Plains Drifter' route and paint 'Welcome to Hell' on the entrances?

Posted by: Aetius451AD work phone at February 24, 2025 06:04 PM (zZu0s)

374 It also may be that they just need a read response. You can tag things to send you back when someone reads it. No reply needed.

Posted by: Smellslikevictory at February 24, 2025 06:04 PM (jPdyB)

375 246 Speaking of jobs, chaplain at a VA facility censored for preaching a sermon based on Romans against homosexuality:

https://tinyurl.com/5xr4rk73
Posted by: FenelonSpoke at February 24, 2025 05:42 PM (42Vb+)

At the surface, having a person doing explicit religious service on the public payroll is a violation of the 1st Amendment.

But in the military, it's basically needed for morale for most people in life-threatening situations.

But there's an inherent problem, in that when the preacher preaches he might actually SAY something besides "God loves you" while doing his official duties. To complain about what he says is to do an unconstitutional interference with religion.

So I can see how problems can arise.

Posted by: MrExcitement at February 24, 2025 06:05 PM (hOOi9)

376 Love you piper, but sometimes "The process is the punishment", and we've certainly been on the receiving end of it for a very long time. This isn't the time to go soft. Let Trump and Elon push as hard as they like.
Posted by: Crusader at February

Aww, I love you too. But I am laughing at the soft part, I was never accused of being soft in my old life! I never lost a term grievance, and an action I took in negotiations went all the way to the Supreme Court (it stuck). I don’t like losing, I like making actions stick, most especially the tough ones.

Posted by: Piper at February 24, 2025 06:05 PM (p4NUW)

377 If you can't bother to open and ANSWER an email from DOGE that you know is coming because it's being reported everywhere.
You don't deserve a job.

Posted by: redridinghood at February 24, 2025 06:05 PM (NpAcC)

378 Nood.

Posted by: Aetius451AD work phone at February 24, 2025 06:06 PM (zZu0s)

379 >>It also may be that they just need a read response. You can tag things to send you back when someone reads it. No reply needed.

System Administration has all that and more.

Posted by: garrett at February 24, 2025 06:06 PM (oa1NA)

380 248 I drove up the coast overnight and landed smack in the middle of the DC commute starting at 8:30 this morning and breezed right thru it. I couldn't tell that it was a rush hour.

Where was everybody? I'm beginning to believe those who say government workers haven't been to their buildings in years. Morning rush hour traffic was much lighter than weekend afternoons I've experienced down there.
Posted by: t-bird at February 24, 2025 05:42 PM (4SKzt)
-----

I retired pre-pandemic, but 0830 is LATE. Most of us were arriving 0600-0730 just to beat the traffic and get a parking space. Only management swanned in later because they had blocks of dedicated spaces.

Posted by: All Hail Eris, She-Wolf of the 'Ettes 'Ettes at February 24, 2025 06:06 PM (kpS4V)

381 Reply all.

Posted by: Boss Moss at February 24, 2025 06:06 PM (G9iYQ)

382 New thread about the German Elections

Posted by: Dad of Six at February 24, 2025 06:07 PM (XEdA2)

383 >>> 317
----------------------

-I- am not concerned, I am just concerned about how nonMAGA Trump voters react. Good managers should know which employees work hard and which don't
This looks petty and the 'risk of being fired' is overkill.
Posted by: anon2020 at February 24, 2025 05:53 PM (RqMDa)

You sure sound like you're assuming this is a normal workplace. What "good managers", when we *know* some have participated in hmm, ethically questionable or even illegal actions? I'm sure there are some, just like there are some good "line" employees, but how do you determine which are which?

Posted by: Helena Handbasket at February 24, 2025 06:07 PM (Vqx30)

384 Do you think you could buy cadavers from med schools to hang from the side of buildings? Or go a more 'High Plains Drifter' route and paint 'Welcome to Hell' on the entrances?
------------
Oh oh oh! I love the thought of Musk ordering gallons and gallons of red paint and instructing the Federal hires to step outside and do the painting!

Posted by: Crusader at February 24, 2025 06:09 PM (TN0g+)

385 368 President's actions are different than those of underlings even in the matter of employment law.
Posted by: whig at February

The NLRA and all the stuff after it could be convo for days. But the point isn’t winning, the point is the time, cost and energy getting there, all of which could be avoided with just a few tweaks.

Posted by: Piper at February 24, 2025 06:09 PM (p4NUW)

386
"Please excuse Susie from coming to office and working from home. She is suffering from fibromyalgia, Morgellons, irritable bowel syndrome, multiple chemical sensitivity, long COVID, agoraphobia, PTSD, ADHD and the dwindles."

Posted by: Hadrian the Seventh at February 24, 2025 06:10 PM (dxSpM)

387 "18 There are some jobs you can mostly do from home - software dev, paper pusher, etc.

But most government jobs theoretically involve working with people or doing something physical - maintaining a forest, guarding a building, inspecting products crossing the border, etc.

If 94% of them are WFH does that mean that basically 6% of the federal workforce does all the work the feds are supposedly going?
Posted by: 18-1 at February 24, 2025 05:07 PM (t0Rmr)"

I think you vastly overestimate how many jobs are physical in nature. It's probably 20:1 stuff you can easily do remotely. A lot of new hiring has never even HAD an office location. Now, maybe 75%+ of those jobs are bullshit, this being the goobermint, but that is not to say WFH isn't a great solution for many office job types.
I've been remote for years and have done critical work for billions in revenue; my value is my brain and getting shit done, so commuting to an office is a retarded waste of time and money. It'd also make me demand like 50% more pay. Double if a suit is involved. I took a cut to work very remote, vs WFH in the same city.

I also love being able to work at 2AM or stay late any time, easily.

Posted by: heya at February 24, 2025 06:11 PM (guzXw)

388 To terminate someone in a union, you have to have just cause- this is going to be ugly. ...
Posted by: Piper at February 24, 2025 05:58 PM (p4NUW)

Isn't insubordination considered "just cause"? Is some judge somewhere going to say that write a few sentences about what you did last week is an illegal demand?

Posted by: MrExcitement at February 24, 2025 06:11 PM (hOOi9)

389 worry about soundbites got us 36 trillion dollars of debt.

Posted by: New nick time! Certified dangerous radical that puts ketchup on hotdogs plus, imma wannabe ratfink! at February 24, 2025 06:13 PM (89Sog)

390 If the goal is to see who is working and not working, the emails should have cascaded down through agency heads.
Posted by: Piper at February 24, 2025 05:42 PM (p4NUW)

Elon stated later that it is intended to find out who does and does not exist. I have done some back-of-the-envelope studies on how much an employer can skim on a phantom employee, but when I asked HR people if my calculations were correct I was told if I did that I would go to jail, which never answered my question. For a labor contractor I figured two or three would put you into a much better bargaining position, and if you wanted to slip someone into an office temporarily without raising any alarms, it is a good way to do it.

Posted by: Kindltot at February 24, 2025 06:13 PM (D7oie)

391 I think you vastly overestimate how many jobs are physical in nature. It's probably 20:1 stuff you can easily do remotely. A lot of new hiring has never even HAD an office location. Now, maybe 75%+ of those jobs are bullshit, this being the goobermint, but that is not to say WFH isn't a great solution for many office job types.
I've been remote for years and have done critical work for billions in revenue; my value is my brain and getting shit done, so commuting to an office is a retarded waste of time and money. It'd also make me demand like 50% more pay. Double if a suit is involved. I took a cut to work very remote, vs WFH in the same city.

I also love being able to work at 2AM or stay late any time, easily.
Posted by: heya at February 24, 2025 06:11 PM (guzXw)

Very cool.

And you're undoubtedly right. The vast majority of government jobs are people processing useless paperwork. Foot soldiers of government bureaucracy.

Posted by: MrExcitement at February 24, 2025 06:15 PM (hOOi9)

392 wow, I willowed myself a couple times already

Posted by: Helena Handbasket at February 24, 2025 06:15 PM (Vqx30)

393 Contractor working with the IRS here.

I can confirm that IRS peeps were given a followup email this afternoon from the Treasury Secretary's office to answer that email with the five bullet points. And to do it by the midnight deadline. Also included encouragement that they have so many responsibilities that it should be easy.

Posted by: Serious Cat at February 24, 2025 06:18 PM (TaHi/)

394 "...I've been remote for years and have done critical work for billions in revenue; my value is my brain and getting shit done, so commuting to an office is a retarded waste of time and money. It'd also make me demand like 50% more pay. Double if a suit is involved. I took a cut to work very remote, vs WFH in the same city.

I also love being able to work at 2AM or stay late any time, easily.
Posted by: heya at February 24, 2025 06:11 PM (guzXw)"

My wife's cousin is a manager at a company that manages retirement funds. She said that many of her employees are remote - one is in Mississippi (probably 800 miles away). She, herself, rarely goes into the office.

She seemed to feel that she was able to find better quality people by considering remote employees.

Posted by: MrExcitement at February 24, 2025 06:18 PM (hOOi9)

395 "And you're undoubtedly right. The vast majority of government jobs are people processing useless paperwork. Foot soldiers of government bureaucracy.
Posted by: MrExcitement at February 24, 2025 06:15 PM (hOOi9)"

There has been a severe lack of accountability. Which is fucking silly because in the brief period I did DOD work for a major defense contractor, we had to write down every shake at the urinal down to 15 minute increments for billing purposes. So much paperwork... yet also so much time wasted as we were using absolutely archaic, retarded processes to do our work - like 100x the effort and expense for common work product. Infuriating.

The .gov idea of accountability has been kabuki theater/cargo cult for a couple of generations now. It has to stop, or it's all going to explode and we get to live in a Mad Max sequel.

Posted by: heya at February 24, 2025 06:21 PM (guzXw)

396 $36 trillion in debt, me thinks that government employees generally don’t give a shit about spending or the country’s financial situation. So I don’t care about HR niceties.

Posted by: MAGA_Ken at February 24, 2025 06:23 PM (xpH0K)

397 "She seemed to feel that she was able to find better quality people by considering remote employees.
Posted by: MrExcitement at February 24, 2025 06:18 PM (hOOi9)"

I have to hide my current employer and project and LARP as a currently umemployed loser on LinkedIn to cut down on the headhunters. But even if you're not trying to recruit rockstars, you can get much better work for the money if you treat "not having to go in to work" as part of the compensation package.

Posted by: heya at February 24, 2025 06:23 PM (guzXw)

398 Fuck Patel. The email is not a "performance review". It is a simple request to acknowledge you are present and can explain what you are doing. Pajeets. Fuck them.

Posted by: Ken at February 24, 2025 06:25 PM (4bExT)

399 ... but that is not to say WFH isn't a great solution for many office job types.

I've been remote for years and have done critical work for billions in revenue; my value is my brain and getting shit done, so commuting to an office is a retarded waste of time and money. It'd also make me demand like 50% more pay. Double if a suit is involved. I took a cut to work very remote, vs WFH in the same city.

I also love being able to work at 2AM or stay late any time, easily.

Posted by: heya at February 24, 2025 06:11 PM (guzXw)

WFH is bullshit and should be ended everywhere. Individuals may be just as or more productive but team effort suffers as people end up in silows, focusing on thier own assigned work and not the broader . Sometimes doing not much work at all, but available to assist others and answer questions, is more valuable to the company than anything you'd accomplish independently.

Posted by: Serious Cat at February 24, 2025 06:28 PM (TaHi/)

400 I WFH in my current job and do about a quarter of the work I did at my last job for about 25% more pay, I love it.

Posted by: MAGA_Ken at February 24, 2025 06:30 PM (BUhak)

401 Posted by: heya at February 24, 2025 06:11 PM (guzXw

Not every employee is like you . That said , everyone is replaceable and those that don’t want to return to the office have the ability to look for another job. If the company determines that they made a mistake the bottom line will force a change. It’s their mistake to make.

Posted by: Sebastian Melmoth at February 24, 2025 06:31 PM (VofaG)

402 NLRA does not apply to federal government employment. The FLMA does which is a 1978 law. Essentially it has to do with executive department constitutional power so that even though PATCO thought they would get away with striking. They did not. There are also preceding actions by presidents such as Woodrow Wilson nationalizing the Railroads during WWI and forbidding strikes (IWW mostly). He threatened to draft every one of the strikers into the military and then courtmartial them if necessary. Strike broke and killed the Wobblies as well.

I got more examples. Simply put, civil service and union permission via FLMA are tacked onto but do not diminish constitutional presidential power to run the executive branch. Read Myers v. US sometime as it is a history lesson of the power of the president over the executive branch.

That few have sought to actually do so is more political than it is anything but FDR crushed any attempts to unionize federal employees and was cavalier about hiring and firing them.

Posted by: whig at February 24, 2025 06:48 PM (ctrM5)

403 I have gotten asked every fucking week for 30 years what I accomplished. I'm required to project my accomplishments for next week as well.

Musk said that the answer didn't actually matter - he thinks there are a lot of fed workers that don't read their e-mails and aren't even working. He wanted to weed them out from the people that do reply. That way DOGE knows where to focus their efforts.

Look, government people don't get this, but there is a business saying that the way you fix bad employees is to saddle them up and ride them around the office. They either quit or improve.

Posted by: El Mariachi at February 24, 2025 06:48 PM (nLFEI)

404 I hate the self-eval bits. We have a team-task sheet. No one in my group is complete dead weight but a lot of the ones that need a damn checklist if you want them to actually do shit are really good at spitting out lots of lines for "I'm doing X this week". Stuff like mandatory FISMA rules or our performance self evals that we all have to do and I never list as a task, oh they list it.

Posted by: PaleRider at February 24, 2025 06:55 PM (CKOCg)

405 Which doesn't really answer the question. Who deletes defunct email accounts?

Anybody?

Seems to me, an organization that does, is fairly efficient. And if so, they don't need DOGE looking over their shoulder.
Posted by: BurtTC at February 24, 2025 05:22 PM (dGCAG)

The IT guys can if they look in the mail system and see that the file holding emails is getting large. The HR people could when you quit to avoid that. Odds are nobody ever does.

Posted by: Oldcat at February 24, 2025 06:58 PM (n7h9X)

406 $36 trillion in debt, me thinks that government employees generally don’t give a shit about spending or the country’s financial situation. So I don’t care about HR niceties.
Posted by: MAGA_Ken at February 24, 2025 06:23 PM (xpH0K)

There should be certain triggers that require all federal departments to sack some precent of underperformers when the economy falters. Why should private sector people get fired first and only? Add to that required sackings when scandals/blunders are made. We didn't win the war you boosted? Fired. Breakdown of relations ? State gets people sacked.

Posted by: Oldcat at February 24, 2025 07:03 PM (n7h9X)

407 398 Fuck Patel. The email is not a "performance review". It is a simple request to acknowledge you are present and can explain what you are doing. Pajeets. Fuck them.

You have to consider that there are a lot of malcontents there who would no doubt send confidential restricted information just to embarrass Trump and musk and Patel. They have to be able to manage those nitwits. Imagine what the media would do with that.

Posted by: Happy at February 24, 2025 07:03 PM (5Cb4O)

408 Look, government people don't get this, but there is a business saying that the way you fix bad employees is to saddle them up and ride them around the office. They either quit or improve.
Posted by: El Mariachi at February 24, 2025 06:48 PM (nLFEI)

I suppose I think government work should not be a training ground. If your boss has to ride herd on you, you get fired. If you need more experience then some feeder corps could be used to train you up.

Posted by: Oldcat at February 24, 2025 07:05 PM (n7h9X)

409
WFH is bullshit and should be ended everywhere. Individuals may be just as or more productive but team effort suffers as people end up in silows, focusing on thier own assigned work and not the broader . Sometimes doing not much work at all, but available to assist others and answer questions, is more valuable to the company than anything you'd accomplish independently.
Posted by: Serious Cat at February

You are not considering an the possibilities. I've worked from home for over 10 years. Everyone in my work group are in New Jersey, South Dakota, Poland, and Asia. I literally work with no one in the local office. I actually work more because I'm not trying to beat hour and a half traffic each way anymore.

Posted by: Happy at February 24, 2025 07:07 PM (5Cb4O)

410 To terminate someone in a union, you have to have just cause- this is going to be ugly. ...
Posted by: Piper at February 24, 2025 05:58 PM (p4NUW)

Isn't insubordination considered "just cause"? Is some judge somewhere going to say that write a few sentences about what you did last week is an illegal demand?
Posted by: MrExcitement at February 24, 2025 06:11 PM (hOOi9)

"Pleasure of the President". Trump can fire them all if he likes.

Posted by: Oldcat at February 24, 2025 07:08 PM (n7h9X)

411 If the building has security, the keycard system can tell you who is in and how long.

Posted by: Oldcat at February 24, 2025 07:09 PM (n7h9X)

412 One part that gets missed is that they are to CC their boss when they reply to DOGE. That means DOGE will be able to make a complete organization chart as your boss will also have to respond and CC his boss and so on. Then they can go to a boss who has ghost workers and ask them to explain how that came to be and more.

Posted by: geoffb at February 24, 2025 07:15 PM (r//c2)

413 Oldcat. At our work we swipe into the building, but that doesn't show when you leave. But if you are computer based working, there are certainly ways they could find out when you logged in, and when your session timed out. Managers that care to get rid of a no work employee have tools they could use even with WFH, but "show up to office" is a very easy way to weed out the worst deadbeats. I get that, and I'm okay with losing 100% WFH and having to show up 3x/week at my work if we continue to get funded.

Posted by: PaleRider at February 24, 2025 07:21 PM (CKOCg)

414 geoffb, good point. I imagine Musk learned a lot about finding and removing do nothing or doing only about 1/3 work employees when he bought twitter.

Posted by: PaleRider at February 24, 2025 07:23 PM (CKOCg)

415 Bizarre thread, neither Musk nor DOGE sent an e-mail, yet half the posters are popping off like people are refusing to take calls from Trump himself.

Posted by: Itinerant Alley Butcher at February 24, 2025 07:30 PM (/lPRQ)

416 I work as a civilian on a military installation. OSD and our Branch head of civilian JR both told us not to respond. My guess is it's probably a fight with OPM to stay in its lane. Hegseth will chop out dead weight, but will do it his way.

Posted by: Aivanther at February 24, 2025 08:12 PM (23XTl)

417 I work for the government. Earn every goddamn penny i make. Get raped on taxes like the rest of you. Pay into my own health plan like the rest of you. Get up before the sun, and get home too late for my liking. If you have a problem with the way I earn a living, go fuck yourself , i sleep with a clear conscience.
Just had to get the off my chest lest any of you write me off as a “parasite”
Got no issue with the idea of accountability. Internally, i do it every day. But I have some big problems with this. First off, I don’t work for Elon Musk. I work for the President, through the Secretary of the department where i am employed. Another thing is the lack of chain of command at work here. I get my direction from either a call from my boss, or an email sent to an official gov. account. Not a Saturday afternoon tweet. They give out clear concise direction on what needs to be done and it gets done. When its reported that there was a lack of response to this know 2 things. An overwhelming majority didn’t receive this email, and the heads of several agencies/departments explicitly told employees to disregard pending further instructions.

Posted by: Joe schmoe at February 24, 2025 08:25 PM (SlwF9)

418 Piper, sorry I had to leave you. You did a great job trying to school the horde on the complexities of employment and labor law.

And it doesn't matter if you are the president or mom and pop. The rules are the same. These will be in DC jurisdiction for the most part. We talked about how the dems made Trump look sympathetic with all the lawfare.

This has a chance to make fed employees look sympathetic in the eyes of the public. You can get the result we all want doing things properly.

I pray we dodge the bullet we just fired at ourselves.

Posted by: Black JEM at February 24, 2025 08:59 PM (uLt48)

419 Nic update

Posted by: ShainS -- DOGE should be renamed Federal Agency for Financial Oversight (FAFO) at February 24, 2025 10:32 PM (1YwYn)

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