NWS Washington/Baltimore staffing shortage

[blizznd]

This letter was also posted to the Protect the National Weather Service Facebook page.....

 

Since a large number of folks here live in the LWX coverage area I thought you might be interested in what is going on there in terms of staff shortage...    LWX is not the only office with severe staff shortages.  

 

Subject: Proposed Modifications to LWX Operations Due to Operational Staff Vacancies
Date: Sat, 04 May 2013 20:16:48 -0400
From: James E. Lee - NOAA Federal <[email protected]>

To: Jason Tuell <[email protected]>

CC: [email protected], Brandon Peloquin <[email protected]>

Jason,

I want to let you know of proposed modifications to operations at the Baltimore/Washington WFO (LWX). These modifications are due to sustained operational personnel vacancies, and the resultant change in working conditions at LWX.

As background for you, the duties of the WFO LWX HMT/Intern Unit are mission-critical. These duties include taking upper air and climate observations, monitoring NOAA Weather Radio, quality-controlling hydrologic and meteorological data, issuing observational and forecast products, posting weather information on Facebook, and serving as WFO LWX’s first line in receiving and responding to phone inquiries from core customers, media, and the general public.

WFO LWX has had three vacancies from the allotted staff of five in the HMT/Intern Unit since March 2013, and at least two vacancies since October 2012. WFO LWX has been staffing this unit at sixteen hours/day, seven days/week with the remaining two HMT/Interns, along with one General Forecaster, to fill the gap. While I approve of having a qualified (i.e., upper air certified) General Forecaster fill in on a spot basis, I do not think it provides an efficiency of service to have her fill the gap for an extended period of time as WFO LWX has done for the past two months. Additionally, it does not foster career growth and development for that General Forecaster, and it is not an equitable assignment of work between her and the other four General Forecasters.

Therefore, the proposed solution to the personnel shortfall is for WFO LWX to staff the HMT/Intern Unit with a modified sixteen hours/day - seven days/week schedule with the remaining two HMT/Interns. The modification is WFO LWX will not be filling an evening HMT/Intern Unit shift at least four times per week. The result of this action is that WFO LWX will not have upper air releases at least four evenings per week, and that the other routine HMT/Intern Unit duties during the vacated evening shifts will be the responsibility of the evening shift and midnight shift Senior and General Forecasters. This will take time away from their forecast duties, which may impact the quality and timeliness of their routine forecasts. During the proposed modification, WFO LWX will place utmost priority on hazardous weather watches, warnings, and advisories to protect life and property.

Since the schedule represents a change to WFO LWX working conditions, these proposed changes were raised for pre-decisional input through the LWX Local Office Team (LOT), in accordance with Article 8 of the NWS-NWSEO Negotiated Agreement. The decision to go forward with this solution was reached by consensus of the LWX LOT.

In addition to the three HMT/Intern Unit vacancies outlined above, WFO LWX has two Senior Forecaster vacancies; one of which has been vacant since August 2012. These two vacancies, coupled with the three HMT/Intern vacancies, put our operational staff in a 33% deficit. As the Meteorologist-in-Charge of WFO LWX, it is my duty to manage WFO human resources, and to acquire the appropriate professional and technical personnel to meet the high level requirements of NWS systems delivery and operations. This responsibility includes providing an environment which offers scientific and technical challenge, high morale, and motivation for improvement. Unfortunately, the long-lasting personnel vacancies at WFO LWX are not conducive to such an environment.

The summer peak leave season schedule has been drafted, and for all six pay periods during summer peak leave there are at least twenty operational shifts to fill; for three pay periods there are over thirty operational shifts to fill; and for one pay period forty-four operational shifts to be filled. Therefore, for the first time since becoming WFO LWX MIC in September 2004, I am reluctantly disapproving summer peak leave requests in order to sustain operations. Not being able to take leave with their families at their preferred dates does not promote high morale, and could lead to staff burn-out, both of which doesn’t encourage effective operations.

Severe weather season has started, and tropical weather season starts next month. Our local Severe Weather Plan calls for surge staffing of at least four staff members during a severe weather watch. WFO LWX has averaged dozens of severe weather watches over the past several years. Climatologically, WFO LWX will have episodes severe weather where for a period of several days will get locked into a severe pattern with watches several times over a multiple day period. Even while fully staffed, this causes a drain on both operations and maintenance personnel.

Tropical systems are the largest operational workload requirement for WFO LWX. Tropical systems require maximum (24x7, all-hands on deck) staffing before, during, and after the cyclone for a period of about one week. The last two years, WFO LWX has had to deal with tropical systems Irene and Sandy. Even with a full complement of operational staff, meeting the needs of forecast operations and core customer requirements was challenging. I am very concerned that our current staffing vacancies may not support effective forecast operations during either tropical or severe weather events.

Additionally, email correspondence from NOAA Leadership indicates that each NWS employee may have to take up to four furlough days by September 30, 2013. This may further reduce the availability of operational staff to draw upon during hazardous weather situations.

Paragraph 1 of NWS Policy Directive 90-1, Staffing Administration, states the following:
“Staffing is an essential component of the operations of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) National Weather Service (NWS). Effective staffing policy directly supports effective operations.”
Practically every NWS Policy Directive in Series 10 – Operations and Services (e.g., Public, Aviation, Tropical, Climate, etc.) states that NWS Regional Headquarters will ensure their WFOs are organized, trained, and equipped to fulfill NWS Service Programs.

I appeal to you as NWS Eastern Region Director to do whatever you can to influence decision-makers to approve waivers to fill the five long-standing WFO LWX vacancies as soon as possible. Filling these vacancies will promote effective operations during our severe weather and tropical weather seasons.

If you have any suggestions on other methods of sustaining effective operations with this number of long-standing operational vacancies, or if you have any questions, please let me know. Without any other options, the WFO LWX LOT has agreed on a date of May 19, 2013, to start modified operations outlined above.

Sincerely,

Jim Lee

cc: LWX NWSEO Union Steward

 

 

[weatherdavewi]

This is a very much-needed letter. I can only hope that more MICs will write something similar in the near-term. The fact that this whole thing has dragged on so long is a disgrace, but hopefully it will be resolved shortly. 

[Scuddz]

That's what they get for hiring their own intern into a General spot right before the sequester knowing the intern wouldn't be filled.

 

 

 

 

 

(bitter)

[wxmeddler]

Priority: Forecasts > Soundings?

[Chrisrotary12]

Let me get this straight.  There is a hiring freeze.......but by the sounds of it there are a lot of positions that need to be filled?  

 

And all this because we can't figure out the stupid budget?   Who runs these things anyways?

 

LWX has 5 vacancies, how many other WFOs are in the same position?

 

They better figure this out soon or the NWS is going to have a big problem by both people who want to work for it and people who do work for it.

[blizznd]

Priority: Forecasts > Soundings?

Yes.

[Visiteur]

Let me get this straight.  There is a hiring freeze.......but by the sounds of it there are a lot of positions that need to be filled?  

 

And all this because we can't figure out the stupid budget?   Who runs these things anyways?

 

LWX has 5 vacancies, how many other WFOs are in the same position?

 

They better figure this out soon or the NWS is going to have a big problem by both people who want to work for it and people who do work for it.

 

I think the LWX office is among the worst, but vacancies agency-wide were already pushing 10% (~300 positions) when the freeze was enacted. Given natural attrition, it certainly doesn't bode well if this keeps up in the long-term.

http://www.nwseo.org/member_news.php

[MGorse]

That's what they get for hiring their own intern into a General spot right before the sequester knowing the intern wouldn't be filled.

 

 

 

 

 

(bitter)

 

Based on the above, it was an on station promotion for that person. They should be denied that?

[Scuddz]

Based on the above, it was an on station promotion for that person. They should be denied that?

 

 

No, and I'm sure they more than deserved it.  However, if I'm the MIC in that situation and I know I have multiple openings and this is the only one I'm going to have filled for the foreseeable future, I'm hiring externally and gaining the manpower rather than effectively just giving someone a raise.  Not an enviable position to be in though.

[baroclinic_instability]

No, and I'm sure they more than deserved it.  However, if I'm the MIC in that situation and I know I have multiple openings and this is the only one I'm going to have filled for the foreseeable future, I'm hiring externally and gaining the manpower rather than effectively just giving someone a raise.  Not an enviable position to be in though.

FWIW, I know that person well, and they deserved it. If anything, it would have been foolish to hire someone else. 

[MGorse]

No, and I'm sure they more than deserved it.  However, if I'm the MIC in that situation and I know I have multiple openings and this is the only one I'm going to have filled for the foreseeable future, I'm hiring externally and gaining the manpower rather than effectively just giving someone a raise.  Not an enviable position to be in though.

 

Bitter? I would have to think the MIC did not do this to 'just giving someone a raise".

[MGorse]

Shouldn't this thread be in the Mid Atlantic sub-forum? WFO LWX is not the only NWS office that has staffing shortages.

[Chrisrotary12]

I think the LWX office is among the worst, but vacancies agency-wide were already pushing 10% (~300 positions) when the freeze was enacted. Given natural attrition, it certainly doesn't bode well if this keeps up in the long-term.

http://www.nwseo.org/member_news.php

 

Holy crap!  The NWS has 300 vacant positions?  My goodness that is awful.  I hope they get this solved soon for the sake of the current employees and those who wish to become employees.

[Jim Marusak]

Holy crap!  The NWS has 300 vacant positions?  My goodness that is awful.  I hope they get this solved soon for the sake of the current employees and those who wish to become employees.

tell me about it. i know chanhassen out here in MN is like 3 down. and given that i'm currently job searching, i'd be willing to head to any of the local offices in a heartbeat when they start hiring. and one other thing to keep in mind: you can only go short for so long until burnout becomes an issue, just from a human psychological perspective. what if these problems cause a mass-burnout of workers? would that really help quality any?

[Rainshadow]

The Fairbanks Alaska office is down 7, how they are functioning without collapsing on the spot I have no idea.

[andyhb]

The Fairbanks Alaska office is down 7, how they are functioning without collapsing on the spot I have no idea.

 

[free_man]

tell me about it. i know chanhassen out here in MN is like 3 down. and given that i'm currently job searching, i'd be willing to head to any of the local offices in a heartbeat when they start hiring. and one other thing to keep in mind: you can only go short for so long until burnout becomes an issue, just from a human psychological perspective. what if these problems cause a mass-burnout of workers? would that really help quality any?

 These positions protected by the "National Weather Service Employees Organization"?  I'm assuming you work  for the NWS?   (as a union steward) I would say there won't be "mass burnout of workers".  Burnout would seem self-imposed assuming you work under a contract.

[Jim Marusak]

 These positions protected by the "National Weather Service Employees Organization"?  I'm assuming you work  for the NWS?   (as a union steward) I would say there won't be "mass burnout of workers".  Burnout would seem self-imposed assuming you work under a contract.

no i don't. i'm actually looking for work right now after getting let go from weather eye in mid-march.

 

but i know that sometimes, if places are short-staffed, you may have a situation that no matter what happens, no matter what contingencies, people will be over-extended on shifts, short-resting, constantly changing shifts, etc. And if we somehow got a pattern change that leads to day after day, maxing out people's hours, and no breaks from it in sight for several weeks on end, you could have a short-term burnout situation that only could be cured by extended time off. But with no extended time off in sight, they will get discouraged a bit. add congressmen or other people bashing the "greedy government worker", and I could see situations in a worst-case where people could say enough, or just be totally zoned out and not really be effective.

 

it's a temporary burnout from over-use that would be the biggest concern.

[blizznd]

I agree with the burnout issue.  If an office is always understaffed and you must fill them by OT or limiting any leave....then yes in the long term issues will arise.   Not so much in filling the occasional shifts, but what about times when I as a senior met has to call in people on short notice due to severe weather or when the next shift called in sick.   If you already worked a lot and havent had much of a break....you will think long and hard about not picking up the phone when that caller ID says NWS.    In short staffed situations in severe weather some things are cut, first and foremost answering calls from the public as there arent just enough bodies....

[blizznd]

Here is Rep Nolan's (D-MN) letter to NOAA/NWS in regards to finding funds to avoid furloughs....

 

http://www.nwseo.org/Member_News_2013/13_05_09_Nolan_Ltr.pdf

[Rainshadow]

I agree with the burnout issue.  If an office is always understaffed and you must fill them by OT or limiting any leave....then yes in the long term issues will arise.   Not so much in filling the occasional shifts, but what about times when I as a senior met has to call in people on short notice due to severe weather or when the next shift called in sick.   If you already worked a lot and havent had much of a break....you will think long and hard about not picking up the phone when that caller ID says NWS.    In short staffed situations in severe weather some things are cut, first and foremost answering calls from the public as there arent just enough bodies....

 

The problem is too with nearly every office short staffed, during a very high impact hurricane event, its going to be tough to have IMETs at FEMA, other OEM places on site, its going to be tough to be able to detail anyone to assist at coastal offices. We're down three it be tough for us to back up Sterling and how can Sterling back us up (we are paired back up offices) if we go down.  The list goes on and on and on....  

[Rainshadow]

 These positions protected by the "National Weather Service Employees Organization"?  I'm assuming you work  for the NWS?   (as a union steward) I would say there won't be "mass burnout of workers".  Burnout would seem self-imposed assuming you work under a contract.

 

Shift duties dont get changed because of staff shortages.  The NWS staffing model was never set up for moderate or high impact events. In nearly all of these instances, overtime/comp time is used to assist. Less of a pool to choose from, more overtime, more burnout. The problem is if this was for 2 to 4 months, well maybe the powers that be could have whistled past the graveyard and it would work. But this has been ongoing for a while. We (PHI) have not been fully staffed since January 2012. While the presidential budget proposal for FY2014 is better, there is no assumption that Congress would approve it at that level and they may very well have us again on continuing resolutions which would be at FY2013 levels. Keep on not changing your oil, its only a matter of time...

[Chrisrotary12]

Wow. I did not realize the situation of understaffing was this bad within the NWS.  

 

What is the problem?  Not enough money to pay employees?  (I'll be honest, politics is not my thing nor do I pay much attention to it)

[MGorse]

I wonder how this email got out.

[famartin]

That's what they get for hiring their own intern into a General spot right before the sequester knowing the intern wouldn't be filled.

 

 

 

 

 

(bitter)

Hey I know that feeling!

 

Are you in the NWS?  How's the staffing there, if you are?  My small solace on that "bitter" front is that my office is about to be fully staffed (thanks to the last vacancy having been filled just before the freeze).  I guess that means we actually stand a chance of saving the government money when the furlough happens.

[famartin]

Let me get this straight.  There is a hiring freeze.......but by the sounds of it there are a lot of positions that need to be filled?  

 

And all this because we can't figure out the stupid budget?   Who runs these things anyways?

 

LWX has 5 vacancies, how many other WFOs are in the same position?

 

They better figure this out soon or the NWS is going to have a big problem by both people who want to work for it and people who do work for it.

 

If the sequester doesn't end, it will only get worse.

[famartin]

No, and I'm sure they more than deserved it.  However, if I'm the MIC in that situation and I know I have multiple openings and this is the only one I'm going to have filled for the foreseeable future, I'm hiring externally and gaining the manpower rather than effectively just giving someone a raise.  Not an enviable position to be in though.

 

That WOULD make sense, except that hiring externally for positions other than intern mean you are moving someone, and moving someone costs more money than promoting on-station.  Naturally (and from what I've been told unofficially, this was "encouraged" from higher up), this will mean the push is to promote on-station til you can hire an intern which incurs no moving costs.

[uncle W]

If the sequester doesn't end, it will only get worse.

god forbid they get rid of the waste instead of laying off people...The Mob could run the country better and steal less money...

[free_man]

no i don't. i'm actually looking for work right now after getting let go from weather eye in mid-march.

 

but i know that sometimes, if places are short-staffed, you may have a situation that no matter what happens, no matter what contingencies, people will be over-extended on shifts, short-resting, constantly changing shifts, etc. And if we somehow got a pattern change that leads to day after day, maxing out people's hours, and no breaks from it in sight for several weeks on end, you could have a short-term burnout situation that only could be cured by extended time off. But with no extended time off in sight, they will get discouraged a bit. add congressmen or other people bashing the "greedy government worker", and I could see situations in a worst-case where people could say enough, or just be totally zoned out and not really be effective.

 

it's a temporary burnout from over-use that would be the biggest concern.

Tell that to RI (I believe) firefighters who sued and lost, when the Supreme Court overruled lower courts saying they had to work 24 hour shifts mandatory, against the union bargaining agreement.  I heard that on the news yesterday and couldn't believe it. I can cite many other examples like that, though.  Public and private sector, the employer-employee balance and leverage continues to slowly whittle away.

[famartin]

Tell that to RI (I believe) firefighters who sued and lost, when the Supreme Court overruled lower courts saying they had to work 24 hour shifts mandatory against the union bargaining agreement.  I can cite many other examples that make those grievances a bit less urgent. 

I assume that the firefighters got to sleep during those shifts?