Veteran Suicide Hotline Employees allowed to work remotely after fear that the requirements in the office will hurt the service

Last week, the Veteran Department reversed the course of requirements by federal employees who work in a suicide hotline for former members of the service to return to work in the office.

Supervisor of the veterans’ crisis line that he talked Government director Before the program was released from the personal mandate of work, he said that the employees were stressed, where they would be assigned and if it was close to their place of residence.

“These changes will not be beneficial for our veterans. If anything, you have dispersed people responding to the phones (and) only the logistics that immediately bring 2,000 people to the local VA, it is simply not – it does not work well, “said the supervisor.

E -Lail from the department obtained by Government director It shows that members of a higher -level executive and supervisors living 50 miles from the VA object had to report a personal full -time beginning on February 24. All employees living 50 miles from the Federal Office were to be done until May 5, and employees outside the 50-mile rays were authorized to return to the office until July 28.

The supervisor warned that placing VCL respondents in working areas with other VA and federal employees would create problems, especially considering the sensitivity of their work.

“You can’t just pack respondents in a room like sardines because everyone is talking on the phone,” said the supervisor.

The press secretary of Va Pete Kasperowicz emphasized in the statement Government director That VCL respondents were released from the mandate of returning to the office before the deadline and that the program supervisors could work again remotely from March 6.

“VA policy consists in restoring as many employees to the office as space allows it. If necessary, VA will accommodate if necessary to make sure that employees have enough space to work and always ensure that access to veterans to benefits and services will remain uninterrupted when employees return to personal work, “he said.

Home democrats celebrated Decision to continue the remote flexibility of VCL work.

“Limiting administration order. Return to the office showed a shocking disregard for the unique operational needs of this critical service and sensitive veterans who depend on it,” said a member of the House Mark Veterans Committee, D-Carif., In a statement on March 10. “But let me be absolutely clear: if the reversal required by my colleagues and I did not receive the admission, and if (then) the life of veterans would be threatened.”

In 2022, there were an average of 17.6 veterans a day According to VA data.

VCL supported telephone centers in New York, Georgia and Kansas, but Pandemia Covid-19 forced employees to work remotely. AND 2020 VA Office of Inspector General Report “I did not identify, nor were oig told that veterans had negatively affected VCL to Teleproork.”

The VCL supervisor said that remote work helped in recruitment because the program “exhausted the pool of applicants” in the areas where there were telephone centers.

“It was decided that because we really fought with finding talent, we would remain distant so that we could get people from all over the country,” said the supervisor. “We don’t focus only on these three areas.”

While the VCL working force was largely saved on the basis of attempts to reduce the number of federal employees, hiccups appeared.

Senator Tammy Duckworth, D-Ill. Letter on March 6 to the president and secretary of Va Doug Collins that at least two VCL employees were removed under Mass burnout of trial workers. Kasperowicz admitted that the “small number” of trial workers was released, but has been restored since then.

Similarly, the press secretary said that VCL is released from Employment of freezing government. Federal Information Network ReportedHowever, that VA withdrew job offers for potential VCL employees before he finally issued them again.

The supervisor said that VCL employees were not entitled to participate in “Deferred resignation” The offer they learned after some employees tried to take her.

Kasperowicz also said that VCL is released from his exemptions. VA is aimed at Reduce your working strength to 83,000 people Return to the level of tax staff 2019.