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Calif. union warns of mass exodus with Newsom’s return to office order
SFGATE • • nation
Key Points:
- California state workers are opposing a new mandate requiring them to return to the office four days a week starting July 1, arguing they have been efficient under hybrid work schedules since the COVID-19 pandemic.
- Gov. Gavin Newsom supports the return to in-person work, citing benefits such as improved relationships and reduced isolation, despite acknowledging the challenges involved.
- Local business leaders believe the mandate will boost economic activity by bringing employees back to offices, which they say is essential for sustaining commerce.
- Democratic Assemblyman Alex Lee has introduced a bill (AB 1729) to require state agencies to offer telework options or justify in-office requirements, also proposing a dashboard to track taxpayer savings from remote work.
- SEIU Local 1000 warns the mandate could trigger a mass exodus of state workers, including early retirements, due to dissatisfaction with the loss of telework flexibility.
