The pandemic-era workweek is finally coming to an end for tens of thousands of California state workers. After years of delays and legal challenges, Governor Gavin Newsom on Wednesday doubled the state’s in-office requirement to four days a week from two, sending at least 90,000 employees back to government offices for most of the workweek. For Newsom, the mandate is part of a broader effort to restore state government to a more traditional rhythm after twice postponing the policy amid opposition from public-employee unions. The groups who have been fighting the rule argue the state is abandoning a work arrangement they say has lowered costs for taxpayers, helped recruit and retain employees, and supported California’s climate goals by reducing commuting. “Change is hard,” Newsom said during a budget presentation in May. The next court hearing is scheduled for November. “We’re hopeful Governor Newsom will look at the data because it is clear: flexible work is better for the environment, better for taxpayers and better for working families,” CASE President Talene Ghazarian said. Read More: California Union Loses Bid to Pause Return-to-Office Mandate
Among those now returning to the office is Wasim Ali, an engineer at the California Air Resources Board who spends most of his day reviewing a database that tracks incentives for Californians to replace gasoline-powered vehicles with electric ones. “We will continue to press for it because that’s what our members want, and that’s what has proven successful in delivering for taxpayers,” said Ted Toppin, executive director of the PECG. “We might have lost the battle over delaying the return-to-office order, but the war has just begun.”
Key Takeaways
- The pandemic-era workweek is finally coming to an end for tens of thousands of California state workers.
- “Change is hard,” Newsom said during a budget presentation in May.
- “While I’m empathetic, we’ve been previewing this for years now and we want to get it done.” One of the most unusual challenges comes from the California Attorneys, Administrative Law Judges and Hearing Officers in State Employment, known as CASE, which argues Newsom should have completed an environmental review before requiring employees to spend two additional days each week traveling into the office.
- A judge on Monday denied CASE’s request to temporarily block the policy before it took effect, allowing the RTO order to move ahead while the broader lawsuit plays out.
- “We’re hopeful Governor Newsom will look at the data because it is clear: flexible work is better for the environment, better for taxpayers and better for working families,” CASE President Talene Ghazarian said.
Insights & Analysis
- “We might have lost the battle over delaying the return-to-office order, but the war has just begun.”