I was told on Tuesday that RTO will happen and I am on the list to be notified on Monday. But non of my team is on the list. I have one team member who is with in 30 minutes drive. They are a pg27. Is RTO based on paygrade as well?
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@xh I’ve logged off for the day and I can’t remember the specific subject line. It was an email that didn’t show a specific person who sent it.
@x1 the managers got the email last week
@xd+1k60gzhbv, is the email around 3pm from HR? What is the subject line should we look out for?
@x1 if they we not pay grade 30 or up you asked the wrong people.
I got the email around 3pm central time. I’m in Minnesota. RTO date is 10/20 for anyone 30 mins or less from the office. Desks will have to be reserved every 30 days but if you’re a good employee who follows the rules and is consistent with in office attendance you can maybe get a permanent spot. Email seemed vague and didn’t give much info. Wondering if managers will be following up with more info.
No email on my primarily MN team. Guess whatever this is happened to a specific group.
Hey @wr/@wm, you ever notice how the ID (the two letters before the '+') changes on EVERY SINGLE MESSAGE? And the value after the '+' doesn't change - because they all belong to the same thread? It's as if the website developers store this in some sort of new-fangled tech called a "database" so that the messages can persist and all belong to their respective threads.
This is starting to feel like a few teams under one VP got asked and it has rolled into a gigantic rumor. No one Telecommute on my team or anyone else in Twin Cities working telecommute is aware of any email. I asked 6 people in different parts of Optum.
Ill bet the email comes about 3:45 cst
@w8 nothing yet but I am on the UHC side, not Optum. Not sure if it makes any difference
Anyone gotten it? I have not seen it yet. Is this going to be an end of day kick in the pants then?
@w3 I’m impatiently waiting for it but nothing yet.
Has anyone gotten the official RTO email yet?
@cf if that is the case you could live south of the river suburbs in msp and not be able to make it to an office in 30 mins in traffic.
@n4 my manager notified me on Thursday but the official email isn’t coming out till Monday. So I don’t think OP is lying
@fm Curious why not other locations. Isn't the suburban Nashville office comparable to DC? Feels like the quiet RIF would be more cost effective if it applied to more places and required expensive CA and NY staff to relocate near a 2nd- or 3rd- tier metro.
The RTO policy is intended to push workers to quit on thier own so Optum doesn't need to pay to RIF employees. It also has the financial benefit for Optum to drive away older workers who may need to be home when children get home from school, have an ageing parent in their home who can't be left alone all day, or those with disabilities who loose productive time going into an office.
Had not heard of this but won’t be shocked to see an email to this effect on Monday. A good reason to work on the resume this weekend.
An email will go to approximately 2800 employees who are currently classified as telecommuters and are located within a 30-minute average drive time from our Twin Cities and Washington D.C., offices. The message outlines a new requirement for these individuals to return to the office a average of four days per week beginning the week of Oct. 20, 2025.
A badge swipe report will be available to people leaders beginning week of 10/27. If people are not making meaningful progress toward an average of 4 days a week in the office and not expressed a temporary circumstance requiring flexibility - you should open a performance case.
@cf that's exactly it, they know what they are doing. They don't want to pay severance. If we quit, no severance.
@f0 while i agree, the writing was on the wall when some were notified of RTO end of June. It was only a matter of time for the rest
They have managers telling folks before the weekend, official email goes out Monday.
Things I would NOT have done this Summer if I knew my telecommuter role was going become RTO with 3 weeks notice (sc--w you Optum):
- donate all former work attire
- adopt a puppy
- spend $2000 on a new desk, displays and office remodel to make work more efficient
- arrange to be the before/after school childcare so my spouse could take a job across town
- sign up at a new gym (I can’t be in office all day then at gym all evening with dogs and kids at home)
If I was fresh out of college with minimal responsibilities and hungry to build a new career, going in office would be no big deal. Being an older adult with an entire life and family built around a remote role - this is hugely disruptive. I always stood behind the company before, but I’m over it. No regard for employees, members, clients, patients.
@en you are playing right into their trap
I applied and was hired for a telecommuter role. Being asked to come in to office basically full-time -4 days per week- shows no consideration for employees or families who have built their schedules around a remote role. Clearly the strategy here is to get people to quit to avoid paying out severance. Optum is going down the sh----r. Get out while you can. I know I am.
@b2 official announcement to those affected on Monday 9/29. Leaders have been asked to pre-communicate this to affected employees by Friday 9/26. Effective date of 10/20 for all employees within a 30 minute average travel time, one way. They calculated travel time by using your zip code, supposedly taking into account traffic congestion.
This is 100% an attrition play. They want people to quit, then will do multiple rounds of layoffs to get their numbers in order to meet the offshore ratio that has been promised to the board by 100x.
Well work from home was good while it lasted…. Going to have to make the 3 mile commute! Lol.
“Check google maps at 8:30 am and was well under 30 minutes from target field to Optum circle.”
That is because you queried a reverse commute.
People largely live north or south of Downtown and not downtown or by the stadium in north loop. For the typical resident using highways like 100 south, 65 to 35w south, 62 west, those are not cakewalks.
I hit the criteria others mention but received no email. My leader is out, so I assume they have it but we won’t know until they come back?
they have to put butts in seats in those locales to keep the tax incentives on the real estate as well as having the herd thin itself and avoid paying severence on those that leave
If you were impacted you would know by now. There was a document of 6500~ names distributed to leaders.
Any tips on how this is delivered? I was hired several months ago from a different TC company because it was remote.. so every one has to drive in now? I have gone in a few times but this to me is a substantial rewrite of the job offer. Not like I can do anything about it but su-k it up.
Are the looking at Job Families? Maybe that's part of the "in scope" Would be nice to understand the logic
A team of one going into the office. Just think of the collaboration. Genius.
L28, confirmed as hired telecommute 3 years in and being asked to RTO. Bye Felicia.
The message I got did not say anything about grades but it’s not the official announcement either.
Basically anyone within 30 minutes of twin cities or DC offices who are currently remote will now be required to come in 4 days a week. Doesn’t matter if you were hired remote or not, they will be changing your status.
Pay grade 30+. Based on travel time on a Wednesday at 4:30pm local time.
@a4 Check google maps at 8:30 am and was well under 30 minutes from target field to Optum circle.
@a3 I don’t think it is if they are using rush hour time to calculate. It’s like 45- 1 hr from Minneapolis to HQ
@a2 same, not sure how Minneapolis is not with in 30 minute drive.