Minnesota reduces distance on return-to-office requirement for state employees
The State of Minnesota is reducing the distance exemption on its recently announced return-to-work policy, meaning employees who live more than 50 miles away from their place of employment can still work remotely.
Last month, Governor Tim Walz ordered state employees to return to the office for at least half of their working hours starting on June 1, a requirement of all staff who live within 75 miles of their primary place of work.
But updated guidance issued on Monday shows the distance requirement has been revised to 50 miles, meaning those living more than this distance away can continue to work from home.
The 50-mile exception is determined based on the shortest road distance measured door-to-door between the employee's home and their main office.
Walz's revision of pandemic-era remote work policy received swift pushback from union leaders, but the governor's office said the change "supports the economic vitality of office districts," such as downtown St. Paul, which has seen growing amounts of vacant office space and is continuously seeing retailers close their doors.Walz's office claimed that 60% of state government workers already work in-person, and about 60% also worked in-person during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Minnesota Association of Professional Employees (MAPE) and the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) Council 5 announced they have denounced Walz's "unilateral decision to revoke teleworking agreements in place for state workers across Minnesota."
The two unions represent nearly 40,000 workers.
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