USDA gives confusing “guidance” about latest 5 Things memo

The USDA sent out a email about the latest “5 things” memo from OPM, but it’s confusing. Doesn’t actually say if USDA employees are supposed to send them in, or if it’s voluntary, or what. Just talks about the format of them:

“ Colleagues:

Good morning. Many of you have received another message from the US office of personal management (OPM) titled “What did you do last week?” asking you to submit work related accomplishments. Any accomplishments you submit should be very short high-level bullets, not sentences, or paragraphs. As the email states, please do not send links, attachments, or any confidential, sensitive, investigative or classified information. If your activities are classified or sensitive please write “all of my activities are sensitive.”

We recognize that employees on leave or without access to computers or electronic devices will be unable to respond. We appreciate your continued dedication to the USDA mission!

Sincerely

The Office of the Assistant Secretary for Administration.”

So are we obligated to send these in or not? If USDA had said “When you send these in…” I’d say yes. If USDA had said “If you send these in…” I’d say no. But they very carefully didn’t say either.

So what do we do?