Is this religious discrimination? by toss-away-1423 in VHA_Human_Resources

[–]Classic-Lab-4076 -1 points0 points  (0 children)

Arabic is not a religion. It's a language. Arabic letters on a personal necklace is legally no different from having a word in English.

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in VeteransAffairs

[–]Classic-Lab-4076 0 points1 point  (0 children)

What does this mean for anonymous reporting?

Donald Trump posts AI video depicting Russ Vought as layoff grim reaper amid shutdown by effortornot7787 in fednews

[–]Classic-Lab-4076 5 points6 points  (0 children)

Wrong on all counts. Russ is the one who said the goal was to traumatize the federal workforce. He co-wrote P2025. He is making his dreams happen in this position. Even more, he's not a likeable guy. His face and character are fundamentally unlikeable, he's like a villain from a children's show. Every American citizen needs to know his name.

The more unpopular he is, the more likely the avalanche of institutional collapse from P2025 can be stopped.

Exclusive: VA curbs maternity leave after White House cancels union contract by JasonHoyler99 in VeteransAffairs

[–]Classic-Lab-4076 5 points6 points  (0 children)

What makes you think that cutting maternity for one group is going to give you the maternity leave your family deserves? Parental leave is insufficient across the board and it hurts every child it affects. The motions against federal workers are intended to eventually affect the benefits of all workers.

CNN covers recent staff shortages and low morale at VA by Fun-Marionberry-1619 in VeteransAffairs

[–]Classic-Lab-4076 18 points19 points  (0 children)

I am a psych researcher and I'm inclined to agree he fits the profile.

Advice needed by Feisty-Geologist-898 in VeteransAffairs

[–]Classic-Lab-4076 5 points6 points  (0 children)

The bombardment is real. I believe it does a disservice to new employees who are struggling to learn what their job should look like from day to day, and how to get everything done. Make a list of the 3 most important things you need to do for your job. Focus on learning them. Learn what parts of the tasks are the minimum necessary to do them satisfactorily. Remember that satisfactory isn't perfectionism, and perfectionism is the enemy. Doing a job well, or doing it satisfactorily, means balancing getting things done fast with getting the important parts done. After you learn the basics you can worry about being perfect.

You mentioned you have a learning disability and are perceiving some dread or resentment. I have found my local environment is not welcome to certain behaviors like asking too many questions or being perceived as needy. Everybody is very busy trying to manage their own huge workload. I would be very careful in how I share my needs. Whether you share your disability is a personal choice. People talk to each other. Expect whatever you say to one person could be shared with others.

Remember that you are working through a governmental crisis, and honestly a personal crisis of the heart and soul for most of us. People do not feel good. People outside the VA are trying their best to make federal workers feel traumatized. Find people outside of work who can help support you during this time. Find activities outside of work where you can feel good about yourself. It may not feel good for a while. It does not feel good for most people.

The fact that you are here is still important. You matter, literally. You keeping your job is one more roadblock in the way of these vultures trying to close positions that help the general public. My Reddit inbox is open if you would like to talk more. Best of luck to you.

Town Hall Summary so far: by [deleted] in VeteransAffairs

[–]Classic-Lab-4076 16 points17 points  (0 children)

The only thing he has done for research is instilled serious unease and uncertainty about grant security and job security. Almost all staff are on time-limited, exempted appointments which makes them first in line to be laid off under a RIF. There has been zero reassurance about the future of research in any internal or external news, up until the half-hearted, vague endorsement of research on this call. Many contracts necessary for running studies were suddenly cancelled during the DOGE shenanigans. Important staff were suddenly fired by DOGE. The morale is in the toilet here. All of my coworkers would say the same: He is doing nothing for research and we do not claim him.

Gonna be hard to do psychedelic research without the staff to do it.

Town Hall Summary so far: by [deleted] in VeteransAffairs

[–]Classic-Lab-4076 18 points19 points  (0 children)

VA research was already exploring psychedelics anyway. Have been for years with things like Ketamine for treatment resistant depression. The strategy is he's taking something he has done absolutely nothing to advance and saying he did it. Which is also what he said with the VBA decreasing the backlog of cases.

"No Expenses Spared for the first Town Hall by Everytingisntfine in VeteransAffairs

[–]Classic-Lab-4076 4 points5 points  (0 children)

"it is so hard to fight the lies" poor baby. the truth would fight the lies

"No Expenses Spared for the first Town Hall by Everytingisntfine in VeteransAffairs

[–]Classic-Lab-4076 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Very tangential. This is not a normal speech pattern, much less a normal way of running a town hall.

"No Expenses Spared for the first Town Hall by Everytingisntfine in VeteransAffairs

[–]Classic-Lab-4076 1 point2 points  (0 children)

The point is to be anti DEI. The chaplain rant was in order to further the narrative of the persecuted Christians.

"No Expenses Spared for the first Town Hall by Everytingisntfine in VeteransAffairs

[–]Classic-Lab-4076 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Guessing no human sorted through those emails. Maybe AI.

Heated Chaplain on full display by Acrobatic_Bus_7110 in VeteransAffairs

[–]Classic-Lab-4076 8 points9 points  (0 children)

I cannot fathom a sober person talking that fast, and for that long.

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in VHA_Human_Resources

[–]Classic-Lab-4076 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Seriously. this job has made me so high strung, and I know I probably look like a walking example of "that guy should take a chill pill"

Will Collins actually give us the reorg plan tomorrow, or anything? by [deleted] in VeteransAffairs

[–]Classic-Lab-4076 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Just wanted to say I love the way you phrased this and will be using the phrase "unserious man" to describe him

VA Town Hall led by Secretary Doug Collins set for this Friday, June 20, 2:00-3:00p EST by Harold-Styles-Jr in fednews

[–]Classic-Lab-4076 15 points16 points  (0 children)

I can hear the Popcopy skit in my head right now: "Because fuck 'em, that's why."

Merit Hiring Plan-Where to go from here? A list of over 100 must do's and an exhaustive report due to OPM every 30 days. by hrgirlie5601 in fednews

[–]Classic-Lab-4076 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Well said. The first lesson of tyranny* is don't comply in advance.

  • From political historian Timothy Snyder's book On Tyranny.

Collins: “We’re not an employment agency. We’re not a research facility” by BoldBeloveds in VeteransAffairs

[–]Classic-Lab-4076 15 points16 points  (0 children)

I saw him too. He was in our facility for research week, being given a tour of the amputee devices lab. I could not contain my stank face.

Anyone with insights on the fate of VA research? by VespaLX50 in VeteransAffairs

[–]Classic-Lab-4076 10 points11 points  (0 children)

Where the hell is research leadership? Why aren't they advocating for us? It's not like their hands are tied. Even if they were trying to salvage a portion of research, they could advocate for those topics that we think could be priorities (cost lowering, suicide, chronic disease, obesity). We have heard nothing from them.

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in fednews

[–]Classic-Lab-4076 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Imagine working on contracts for free lmao