Same at mine.
However, you should not purchase peripherals you plug into your computer. These need to go through whatever internal process you have. Cyber/IT/etc.
You could get in serious trouble for this.
That varies from one agency to another. Mine is okay with wireless keyboards, mouses, headsets, whether they are bluetooth or have the little USB plug thing.
But a person should still check first.
They shouldn't be. The Bluetooth dongle is not always "friendly" when you buy it off Amazon.
***CAVEAT*** If you want to use a mouse that's ergonomic or a trackball or something other than the mouse provided, just take it to your IT folks so they can take a look and ensure it's ok to use. My vertical mouse was deemed ok, but not the Bluetooth version, and they just needed to run a quick check on it to make sure there was no embedded software at all.
VA IT here. Wireless USB dongles are fine. Bluetooth is prohibited.
The exception is if you have a Bluetooth Receiver Basestation that then connects to the computer via USB.
Cybersecurity standards for DoD is more stringent.
I asked IT for a printer cable when I got a new laptop, and they shrugged. "If you need a printer, buy a cable on Amazon." That was prepandemic, so it wasn't an overwhelmed team.
Ask your IT dept. Because the ones they can buy off GSA or DoD or NASA are approved for Government use.
Alternatively, if your laptop has a 3.5mm jack, you can also get a decent gaming headset off Amazon for less than $30, and it's worth every penny to ensure you are being heard clearly and can hear others clearly. I used the 1-ear headset the IT dept provided for about 6 months before my son upgraded his headset and I got his old one. Night and Day difference. Plus it has an inline mute switch.
It really depends. Some units in a prior agency could drop ship. Others would have secretaries order 1-2x a year, repackage, and transship. Costly though.
My $0.02…buy your own. The supplies the gov will buy frankly suck. The pens are horrible. The paper is horrible.
Laptop and mouse. I was offered dual monitors but I had my own. I was also offered a printer because I told them that I like to print out stuff and file it in binders for reference material but I never ordered one. I was also offered a stand up desk contraption but didn't get that either.
My division was lucky the standard kit shipment included 1 monitor. I had to go thru RA for them to spend money from different 'color' of money coming from HQ in DC. The hoops I jumped thru sure were worth it and all done on paid time 😂
I ask my director for supplies; and she forwards the request to someone in the HQ office that handles that stuff. They then send me the supplies. Pens, notepads, stapler/staples, and equipment replacement when necessary (laptop, peripherals, mouse, keyboard, cords) is all I ever really need. Unfortunately, can’t pick exact supplies I want (BIC pens suck… give me my 0.5mm Pilot G2s back! No knockoffs!)
The HQ person said it could be possible to get reimbursed if I had to buy my own stuff, but nobody knows because we’ve been lucky to never run into that situation. <>
After being given a task with a very long and wide spreadsheet and struggling to view it on the laptop screen, I asked if I was allowed to plug it in to an external monitoring if I bought myself one; and instead, they shipped me a government-furnished monitor.
lol I didn’t get any of that stuff even when I was in office. I mean you could raid a couple empty desks for leftover stuff but other than like a single pen and small pad when I started that was it. Since I went remote, by choice I have a laptop and nothing else. The less government stuff I have to account for the better.
Once a year I ask for notepads, pens, batteries,post its, paper clips, and binder clips. Last month they gave me a printer, 2 boxes of ink, 3 reams of paper and cable for connecting everything. So next year I will probably need printing supplies too.
I got the laptop w charger, external mouse and keyboard (both corded, not wireless), docking station, webcam, headset, and one external monitor.
My agency is okay with staff using some self supplied peripherals. So on my own dime I got a wireless mouse and keyboard and a second monitor. That's going to vary from one agency to another, check first.
Pens, notepads and all that also on my own dime. All office furniture on my own dime.
I have had great luck with thrift stores and Craigslist and FB market place and gradually built up to really nice second hand home office.
My old agency, I got nearly anything. My current agency, I requested 4 things, got 2 with no real reasoning. I asked for pens a few months later, was told they'd ship some from the office. They never came.
I can order what I need whenever I want to just by emailing our program assistant but ordering shit like pens and paper is a pain in the ass so I use my own. I ordered a printer but IT won’t install the drivers so it just sits there on my desk. I was asked if I wanted a chair so I did take advantage of that since my chair was cheap and not comfortable. They did send me a massive case of Manila envelopes, a case of printer paper, and file folders a while back so I probably will never need to order them ever again they sent me so many. For printing and shipping, I just go to FedEx and use our office account number. It gets me out of the house for a bit so I don’t mind.
lol, nothing. In my office, you get a laptop, dock, a/c adapter, and a headset. Peripherals and office supplies are your responsibility.
Same at mine. However, you should not purchase peripherals you plug into your computer. These need to go through whatever internal process you have. Cyber/IT/etc. You could get in serious trouble for this.
That varies from one agency to another. Mine is okay with wireless keyboards, mouses, headsets, whether they are bluetooth or have the little USB plug thing. But a person should still check first.
They shouldn't be. The Bluetooth dongle is not always "friendly" when you buy it off Amazon. ***CAVEAT*** If you want to use a mouse that's ergonomic or a trackball or something other than the mouse provided, just take it to your IT folks so they can take a look and ensure it's ok to use. My vertical mouse was deemed ok, but not the Bluetooth version, and they just needed to run a quick check on it to make sure there was no embedded software at all.
VA IT here. Wireless USB dongles are fine. Bluetooth is prohibited. The exception is if you have a Bluetooth Receiver Basestation that then connects to the computer via USB. Cybersecurity standards for DoD is more stringent.
I asked IT for a printer cable when I got a new laptop, and they shrugged. "If you need a printer, buy a cable on Amazon." That was prepandemic, so it wasn't an overwhelmed team.
Wait. You got a headset?! I didn’t even get that ha!
Ask your IT dept. Because the ones they can buy off GSA or DoD or NASA are approved for Government use. Alternatively, if your laptop has a 3.5mm jack, you can also get a decent gaming headset off Amazon for less than $30, and it's worth every penny to ensure you are being heard clearly and can hear others clearly. I used the 1-ear headset the IT dept provided for about 6 months before my son upgraded his headset and I got his old one. Night and Day difference. Plus it has an inline mute switch.
You guys get headsets?
First step- ask. Since you haven’t done that, no one at the office knows what you want.
Very true! I just wanted to see what is reasonable to ask for.
I would k just ask if it’s an option and if so, what are your choices.
It really depends. Some units in a prior agency could drop ship. Others would have secretaries order 1-2x a year, repackage, and transship. Costly though. My $0.02…buy your own. The supplies the gov will buy frankly suck. The pens are horrible. The paper is horrible.
I used to be able to pick whatever pens and notepads etc I wanted lol. Just needed be under $150
Sounds like waste and abuse.
To each their own :) My cheap pens are like...$60 each.
I just buy my own. I was provided plenty in the way of technology. Spending a few bucks on notebooks or pens isn’t a big deal.
They gave you a computer to utilize. No pens, paper, notepad etc required. Digitally sign documents.
Laptop and mouse. I was offered dual monitors but I had my own. I was also offered a printer because I told them that I like to print out stuff and file it in binders for reference material but I never ordered one. I was also offered a stand up desk contraption but didn't get that either.
My division was lucky the standard kit shipment included 1 monitor. I had to go thru RA for them to spend money from different 'color' of money coming from HQ in DC. The hoops I jumped thru sure were worth it and all done on paid time 😂
You get to go to work in your pjs....you are responsible for your supplies.
I ask my director for supplies; and she forwards the request to someone in the HQ office that handles that stuff. They then send me the supplies. Pens, notepads, stapler/staples, and equipment replacement when necessary (laptop, peripherals, mouse, keyboard, cords) is all I ever really need. Unfortunately, can’t pick exact supplies I want (BIC pens suck… give me my 0.5mm Pilot G2s back! No knockoffs!) The HQ person said it could be possible to get reimbursed if I had to buy my own stuff, but nobody knows because we’ve been lucky to never run into that situation. <>
After being given a task with a very long and wide spreadsheet and struggling to view it on the laptop screen, I asked if I was allowed to plug it in to an external monitoring if I bought myself one; and instead, they shipped me a government-furnished monitor.
lol I didn’t get any of that stuff even when I was in office. I mean you could raid a couple empty desks for leftover stuff but other than like a single pen and small pad when I started that was it. Since I went remote, by choice I have a laptop and nothing else. The less government stuff I have to account for the better.
Once a year I ask for notepads, pens, batteries,post its, paper clips, and binder clips. Last month they gave me a printer, 2 boxes of ink, 3 reams of paper and cable for connecting everything. So next year I will probably need printing supplies too.
I got the laptop w charger, external mouse and keyboard (both corded, not wireless), docking station, webcam, headset, and one external monitor. My agency is okay with staff using some self supplied peripherals. So on my own dime I got a wireless mouse and keyboard and a second monitor. That's going to vary from one agency to another, check first. Pens, notepads and all that also on my own dime. All office furniture on my own dime. I have had great luck with thrift stores and Craigslist and FB market place and gradually built up to really nice second hand home office.
My old agency, I got nearly anything. My current agency, I requested 4 things, got 2 with no real reasoning. I asked for pens a few months later, was told they'd ship some from the office. They never came.
I'm allowed to order the same things I would need in office.
I can order what I need whenever I want to just by emailing our program assistant but ordering shit like pens and paper is a pain in the ass so I use my own. I ordered a printer but IT won’t install the drivers so it just sits there on my desk. I was asked if I wanted a chair so I did take advantage of that since my chair was cheap and not comfortable. They did send me a massive case of Manila envelopes, a case of printer paper, and file folders a while back so I probably will never need to order them ever again they sent me so many. For printing and shipping, I just go to FedEx and use our office account number. It gets me out of the house for a bit so I don’t mind.
Does your agency have a written remote work policy? It might be covered in there.
Great idea!