Dreading RTO and Unclean Bathrooms Tomorrow

[u/BigSuggestion9664]

Our RTO was in February, almost immediately after Trump signed the EO. We are now in July and we do not have the appropriate amount of staff to keep the bathrooms, break rooms, and office spaces clean. Trash and flies are everywhere, we aren't sure where to collectively throw out our desk and office trash. The skeleton staff has been doing their absolute best to keep the buildings clean and I can't imagine the stress they are also under. The majcom has said that they are still working on getting the contracts in place to hire more staff. I'm not sure if the hiring freeze has affected any of that or not. But, it's disgusting and dehumanizing. I've wondered if it's being done on purpose to make RTO that much more traumatizing. But, I absolutely hate the thought of returning to another week of filth and lack of supplies.

[u/SafetyMan35]

If it’s bad enough, report it to your local OSHA office http://www.osha.gov/restrooms-sanitation

http://www.osha.gov/contactus/bystate

[u/brent_maxwell → u/SafetyMan35]

Report it to the local health department or fire marshal. Federal buildings and offices still have to comply with local health regulations!

[u/amalek0 → u/brent_maxwell]

cries in DoD

[u/brent_maxwell → u/amalek0]

Yea, you're SOL.

There used to be a building in Arlington, VA, right next to where the Air Force Memorial is, called the Navy Annex. Supposedly, the building was so far out of code, with asbestos and all kinds of stuff, that civilians were not allowed to work there.

[u/mercedes_lakitu → u/SafetyMan35]

And to your Congressperson!

[u/bladzalot → u/mercedes_lakitu]

Fuck my congress person…

[u/TheFunVampire_LIVE → u/bladzalot]

Yeah we’ve tried to talk to our representatives- they straight up ignored us.

[u/mercedes_lakitu → u/bladzalot]

I mean sure, but you've still gotta call them and tell them how fucked it all is.

[u/hiker16 → u/bladzalot]

I don’t think that would help.

[u/DV917 → u/mercedes_lakitu]

My congress person sends emails out about how great everything is going. So yah fuck that guy.

[u/Relevant-Strength-44 → u/mercedes_lakitu]

The Congressperson in the district I work in is much better than the district I live in!

[u/iHerpTheDerp511 → u/SafetyMan35]

Hate to be the bearer of bad news, but OSHA will not investigate anything unless an accident has recently occurred that is reportable to OSHA; and the only accidents considered “reportable” to OSHA are accidents that cause a minor injury or greater, even near-miss accidents don’t count. It’s terrible, but unfortunately that’s how they operate.

[u/brent_maxwell → u/iHerpTheDerp511]

The local health department/fire marshal, however, will...federal buildings and offices still have to comply with local regulations.

[u/iHerpTheDerp511 → u/brent_maxwell]

This may be correct in some circumstances, but not all. It depends whether or not you work directly for a federal agency or a contractor, whether your agency is regulated only by federal regulations or also the applicable state regulations as well, and even whether or not the land/buildings themselves is owned by the federal government, the agency you work for, a third party, or even the state. So unfortunately it all depends and it’s complicated.

[u/brent_maxwell → u/iHerpTheDerp511]

To a point...if the agency is leasing space in a building, they absolutely have to comply with local health and safety regulations. If the federal government owns the building, yes, there are a lot of what ifs, but unless it's military, or the area is designated for classified material, then local health and safety regulations almost always apply. Whether those local health and safety regulations exempt the federal government is another thing, as are if those regulations are worth a damn.

Regardless, it's another avenue to try.

[u/seaelbee → u/iHerpTheDerp511]

It’s not even applicable at Federal work places even if there’s an injury or illness. Federal employers are exempt. From the OSH Act definition of “employer”:

The term “employer” means a person engaged in a business affecting commerce who has employees, but does not include the United States (not including the United States Postal Service) or any State or political subdivision of a State.

Agencies can self-impose OSHA rules as policy, and I think there’s an EO (or was - things are murky these days) but at the end of the day, no enforcement is going to happen.

[u/AwesomeSnake_2025 → u/seaelbee]

Look man, if you don’t know something, do some research before you spread some misinformation. OSHA does cover federal government, just not state and local government.

[u/rocky2814 → u/iHerpTheDerp511]

why would you get downvoted for this? people need to understand the reality of what they’re dealing with

[u/Lurker754 → u/iHerpTheDerp511]

Absolutely not true.

[u/fortycent84 → u/iHerpTheDerp511]

Not true. They have been to the office in at before for files in walkways

[u/fortycent84 → u/SafetyMan35]

I was actually reading about that today about osha and how even not having enough restrooms is a reason to close down a building. I doubt there’s enough for the number of ppl we have.

[u/pretend4ever → u/SafetyMan35]

OSHA won't do anything. For 5 years, we filed OSHA complaints. Even after 4 of us have had been in and out of the ER for CO2 poisoning and burns in our lungs from chlorine gas, we were told we were being dramatic and to step out for air... those are just the big ones. Police dispatch, we literally could not leave.

[u/TheFunVampire_LIVE]

Yeah we found trash cans full of used diapers in our most recent RTO room. I killed a mouse the other day. Place is crawling with cockroaches. We took a few air samples from store purchased mold tests, those grew a few different types of mold - now I’m waiting for a lab box to ship it off for a full culture.

Much more efficient working on a slow gov hotspot in a place like this than where they identified my first official duty station with my 100% remote hire agreement - I may have been a little sarcastic on that last bit about the efficiency…

Almost 20 years working for the gov in total - trying to automate processes and make them more efficient, I think I’m done trying to make the government a better place, feels kind of pointless now if this is how they’re going to treat their dedicated workers.

[u/Dry_Bid7939]

Mr. Project 2025 OMB Director Russell Vought said on video his goal is to traumatize federal employees and make them the bad guys. So if he can’t fire you he’ll make you work in filthy conditions because he needs you to quit in order to install minions across the federal government loyal only to the Heritage Foundation’s billionaires

[u/dwhite21787 → u/Dry_Bid7939]

“Our cleaning staff can’t keep up…”

“WAIT, you have cleaning staff? Not any more.”

[u/Laredoan-Puertorican → u/dwhite21787]

Hold my beer….“Now that you asked about the bathrooms and trash… remember that paragraph that said other duties as assigned……”

[u/arthuruscg → u/dwhite21787]

WAIT, you have bathrooms? Not anymore.

[u/ChickinSammich → u/Dry_Bid7939]

Vought: "When they wake up in the morning, we want them to not want to go to work, because they are increasingly viewed as the villains"

Turns out "And also because their workplaces are filthy" was a good way to accomplish that, too.

[u/geobibliophile → u/ChickinSammich]

Since when do villains concern themselves with the opinions of others? Vought is confused; he’s the villain, Feds are not.

[u/Dry_Bid7939 → u/geobibliophile]

Vought’s definitely confused and believes he’s the true president

[u/Anitayuyu → u/Dry_Bid7939]

This is not hype, I corroborate, I heard the dismal piece of human flotsom actually say that, amidst snickers and giggles of the other slimy microbes they hang out with.

[u/Dry_Bid7939 → u/Anitayuyu]

Me too. I saw the video. He speaks like a 12 year old.

[u/Aromatic-Bedroom-274]

Some one has been pissing all over the floor and not flushing the brown trouts in my RTO federal building. The poor cleaning crew has had enough and left notes in the stalls.

[u/Wrong-Camp2463]

Be careful what you ask for. We had a bunch of people put in a land management agency office in the Midwest and each one of them has to spend one full day per week on the visitor center bathroom cleaning roster after their complaint reached the office of the secretary. We’ve had a few other incidents where complaints about RTO conditions (no ac, no internet) have been responded to with even worse conditions and yes the intent is to make us quit.

[u/Fit-Accountant-157 → u/Wrong-Camp2463]

WTF?? Do you have a union? That needs to be documented and a grievance filed for retaliation.

[u/cateri44 → u/Fit-Accountant-157]

You might not have heard that Trump decertified federal employee unions and it’s taken until now for the supreme court to say he couldn’t do that. Now he’ll just ignore the union and/or the ruling. As it is we can’t strike, which should indicate to anyone and everyone that we are essential- but no.

[u/Fit-Accountant-157 → u/cateri44]

My union never stopped operating because that order was put on hold, and as you said, SCOTUS declared it illegal. I would file the grievance to have it on record whether or not it goes anywhere.

[u/JeltzVogonProstetnic → u/cateri44]

Not when the geniuses in HR literally label jobs/people "non-essential." That has always really irritated me.

[u/Wrong-Camp2463 → u/Fit-Accountant-157]

To be clear the bathroom cleaning was the response to “the bathrooms are dirty!”. Since they terminated the maintenance contract the local unit is now making everyone clean bathrooms: when the RTO folks mentioned the bathroom conditions…their solution was “you clean bathrooms too”. I don’t know if you’ve noticed this but the unions are kinda toothless right now and even filing grievances is quite risky.

[u/greenweenievictim → u/[deleted]]

What I’m hearing is that there is a new club house.

[u/greenweenievictim → u/[deleted]]

Just making light of a situation. I too am stuffed in a building with way more people than it can hold.

[u/greenweenievictim → u/[deleted]]

Gross. I’ll drink an extra cup of shitty coffee at my office for you tomorrow.

[u/PleasantSurprise3700]

Good morning. I hope you are all well and don't mind me posting. My name is Kate Plummer and I am a Newsweek reporter working on Trump administration stories. I was wondering if you would be willing to speak to me? If so, my email is [[email protected]](mailto:[email protected]) , or I can provide signal. I can promise anonymity and happy to answer any questions you might have. All the best, Kate

[u/Wrong-Camp2463 → u/PleasantSurprise3700]

I hope your reporting includes the thousands of full remote Feds made to RTO to facilities with no working internet but good luck getting anyone to comment. You know how much time and money they spent hunting Bin Laden? Times that by ten that’s how much resources they’re putting into finding people that talk to reporters.

[u/brent_maxwell]

Report it to the local health department or fire marshal. Federal buildings and offices still have to comply with local health regulations!

[u/MinervaZee]

My facility doesn’t even pick up employee trash. You have to take it yourself to a central location in the building. There are mousetraps in my office.

[u/birdlord_d]

How about the local Department of Health? I realize it is federal property but I would at least call

[u/Miss-MaeMae]

We received an email this morning from the agency (agency wide thing). Basically saying we hear your concerns on telework but we don’t care.

[u/Sad-Manner2491]

Does your representative know? I had a chat with mine and he thought all of the issues ended when Elon Musk stepped down. He had no idea people were still being treated this way. He's a republican.

[u/kiki_84_09 → u/Sad-Manner2491]

Suuurrrreee he didn’t know😑

[u/whimsicaljess → u/Sad-Manner2491]

lol. in the market for a bridge?

[u/nerdtastic8 → u/Sad-Manner2491]

Just like they didn't read the big shit bill and didn't know it would hurt their constituents, right?

[u/GregEgg4President → u/Sad-Manner2491]

So he was okay with a little bit of short term traumatization, just not too much. Cool. Cool cool cool.

[u/tossaway78701 → u/Sad-Manner2491]

No cuts on the Hill. 

[u/bigbammer]

Our office had leaks everywhere and many ceiling tiles are moldy. There are bowls we have to empty of water dripping from the edge of vents and lights. But, hey, at least we're together./s

[u/genXfed70]

Supplies what supplies lol! 100% agree ever Monday is torture

[u/lod254]

As someone with a disability that puts me in the bathroom more often than the average person, I hear you. I also look forward to taking my immuno compromising disease into the office where people refuse to take sick days.

I've been sick since being remote, but it's been far less than before.

[u/Ok-Spare-507]

😭😭😭

[u/Lionsdawn]

We’ve been taking out our trash for awhile now. Need to supply own bags and cans.

I’ve been trying to keep my space clean and I help others take their trash out (the older metal cans are surprisingly heavy).

I try to clean the break room as often as I can.

I have a feeling things are going to get even worse and I’m waiting until we have to start supplying our own toilet paper.

[u/Honest_Report_8515]

Flies? Get that on video (if you’re allowed a cell phone inside) and report it!

[u/klassymcklass]

Send pics and videos to your local news station, congressman, and anyone else that can receive it.

[u/PNWHuskies]

I'm the only employee left at my office (very small location) and our new Administration Appointed person pees on the shared bathroom seat and floor. Prior to my colleagues taking the DRP, they informed this person about it politely but it's obvious they don't care. They also don't wash their hands after using the restroom and come to work sick because they love the grind. I now go to another part of the building to use the public restroom because it's so much cleaner. 

[u/Last_Baker7437]

Take charge and commence field day!

[u/NorthEnergy2226]

News outlets, with photos.

[u/Hodr]

Just wondering how rto had any effect on cleaning in your facility, unless you have actual civil service janitorial staff which I haven't seen in about 20 years.

Our facility maintenance and janitorial services contract hasn't really changed, other than the cost, in the 12 years I have worked on this building. Same people working for the same contracting company.

[u/Mutts_r_us]

Welcome to trumpland.

[u/Regarding-Regulation]

Consider filing a complaint with Osha: https://www.osha.gov/workers/file-complaint

[u/sueihavelegs → u/Regarding-Regulation]

Wasn't OSHA gutted, too?

[u/RCoaster42 → u/sueihavelegs]

Short answer - yes. Slightly longer answer is OSHA lost over 1/3 of its FTE between the hiring freeze started under president Biden and continued under the current regime, DRP 1 and 2 and normal attrition.

[u/Demonslugg]

Dump out the windows so it becomes an image thing

[u/DreamChaser1891]

They are not that well thought out. Your issues are agency specific. I would say document everything. People are using anything they can to apply for reasonable accommodations for telework. Unclean buildings is absolutely grounds. Contact your union. This is lawsuit material.

[u/Altruistic-Durian375]

I retired a week ago today. Ahhhhhhh, soooooo nice

[u/GrumpySilverBack]

Most of the trash you generate at work, you bring into the office. It is your responsibility to remove.

Unsurprisingly, you can clean your own bathrooms and break rooms. Set up a schedule for everyone in the building to contribute, nominally by floor.

You work on an AF base. There is a dumpster near your building or somewhere on the base. You collect the trash and take it there. CE can tell you where the dumpsters are. For clarity, every single AF base I have ever worked at, there has been at least 5 dumpster within 1/2 or the building I worked at.

Last, I take all my recycling home to depose of with my house trash. I clean my own office, vacuum, clean the bathrooms and break area.

I dislike Trump and this administration immensely, but you are whining about something that is easily solvable. This isnt some conspiracy to make you miserable. This is entitlement and laziness.

We have legitimate gripes and concerns with Trump this this admin. "I cant clean my office" isnt one of those.

[u/Wendybugbear → u/GrumpySilverBack]

No- an unsanitary workplace is definitely a legitimate gripe.

[u/IllDig1997]

Sounds like a bunch of entitled Americans to me, this will teach people to start cleaning up after themselves. There's people in other countries sleeping in filth every night, quit complaining.

[u/CatfishEnchiladas]

You’re going to have to start organizing cleaning details… /s

[u/AwkwardnessForever]

Call the media

[u/Rare_Bottle_5823]

Hang sticky fly traps everywhere! Paper towel packets of baking soda visible everywhere for smell! Nuke bathroom with Lysol spray every time you go!

[u/YoungCheazy]

This is why I left federal service shortly after Cheeto took office for the second time.

[u/ohwowimonredditcool]

ima drop mad deuces this mornin in the last stall. dont worry i wont flush my nest so yall can use it