Latest news with #CalHR
Yahoo
11-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
How will Gavin Newsom's return-to-office order affect California state telework stipends?
While there are still many questions lingering about how California will bring its workforce back to primarily in-person work in the coming months, the impact on state workers' telework stipend is clearly defined. After California directed its public employees to work from home to limit the spread of COVID-19, the state paid those public servants stipends beginning October 2021 to help cover expenses workers needed to do their jobs remotely, such as the internet. The stipend applies to all departments and all employee classifications as long as they work remotely for some part of the week. Those who work primarily from home, known as 'remote-centered,' receive $50 a month. Those primarily in state building, 'office-centered,' get $25 a month. With Gov. Gavin Newsom directing departments to increase the number of days state workers are expected to be in offices — from two to four — public employees can expect a change to their telework stipends. Sign up here to get our weekly newsletter for California employees. As it stands, state workers receiving $50 a month to work primarily from home will see that payment cut in half come July, when the governor's return-to-office directive takes effect. Those already working at least three days from state buildings will continue to receive $25 a month as long as they work remotely part of the week. The California Department of Human Resources said individual departments determine which employees are eligible for the stipend based on the telework agreements. CalHR said the pay differential that outlines the stipend already considers changes to departments' hybrid work policies, like the transition from two days to four days in office. The state stands to save millions of dollars in paying only half of the 'remote-centered' telework stipend. In January, California paid $5.2 million in telework stipends to its employees. Of the 115,000 employees who received those payments, 81% receive the full $50 payment. If the state paid the same number of employees in January the $25 payment, instead of the 'remote-centered' stipend, the state would have saved $2.3 million. But whatever the amount saved by paying a smaller stipend, it would only be a fraction of the state's payroll expenses. In 2023, California paid over $22 billion in total wages to state employees. Unions representing state employees are hoping to leverage this coming reduction to workers' paychecks to block Newsom's return-to-office mandate. In challenges filed with the state's labor relations board, SEIU Local 1000 and Professional Engineers in California Government claimed that forcing workers back to offices four days a week violated the the Ralph C. Dills Act, which outlines labor regulations between the state and public employees. The unions argue that the governor's order will effectively shift telework employees from 'remote-centered' to 'office-centered.' By making this change, which is subject to negotiation, the union said Newsom infringed on workers' rights. 'The Governor imposed this order unilaterally, without negotiation, without consideration for its impact on state workers, and without following the law,' Anica Walls, president of SEIU Local 1000, said in a statement announcing the union's challenge last week. 'We're demanding that (the Public Employment Relations Board) rescind this illegal order immediately and return decision-making on telework and return-to-office policies back to individual departments, where it belongs.'
Yahoo
04-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Newsom orders state agencies return to in-office work
The Brief The executive order directs state agencies to establish a new default expectation of at least four in-office days per week for employees by July 1. Newsom's office said "experience and research" shows in-person work fosters accountability, cohesion, creativity and communication. SACRAMENTO - California Gov. Gavin Newsom on Monday issued an executive order requiring state agencies to have employees begin coming into the office at least four days a week. The order – officially titled Executive Order N-22-25 – directs state agencies under Newsom's authority to revise their telework policies "to reflect a new default expectation of at least four in-office days per week" by July 1. The backstory Newsom's administration in April directed state agencies to mandate two in-office days per week for employees, with the justification that "experience and research" shows that in-person work fosters higher degrees of accountability, cohesion, creativity and communication, while also allowing more opportunities for mentorship and collaboration. The Monday executive order further justified the four-day in-office mandate by claiming that the benefits of in-person work are undermined by the "non-aligned" work schedules of employees working under the previous two-day in-office minimum. "State employees are the backbone of our government, and we are blessed in California with public servants who devote their time and talents to the smooth operation of critical services and public infrastructure," Newsom said. "In-person work makes us all stronger — period. When we work together, collaboration improves, innovation thrives, and accountability increases. That means better service, better solutions, and better results for Californians, while still allowing flexibility." Big picture view Newsom's order also directs state agencies to streamline the hiring process for former federal employees seeking employment in key roles, such as those in forest management, firefighting, natural resource management, healthcare and weather forecasting. Additionally, the executive order allows for telework flexibilities granted on a case-by-case basis, to be determined by an individual's circumstances. In accordance with Newsom's order, CalHR will issue statewide guidance on appropriate exceptions that will address employees whose positions require telework and employees who do not live near their duty stations who were hired with a mutually agreed-upon telework arrangement. The order also strongly encourages independent constitutional offices — including the Lieutenant Governor, Attorney General, Secretary of State, State Controller, Superintendent of Public Instruction, Treasurer, and Insurance Commissioner — to adopt similar in-office mandates to "improve operational efficiency." Local perspective Newsom's order comes the week after San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie set an April 28 deadline for a similar change which will affect 10,000 city employees. Lurie said the adjustment would improve in-office communication and boost the local economy. He has also pushed private companies to bring more workers back to downtown San Francisco to help the city recover from the pandemic.
Yahoo
04-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Newsom orders state employees back to the office four days a week later this year
(FOX 5/KUSI) — California Governor Gavin Newsom issued an executive order on Monday that will require state employees to return to in-person work at least four days per week starting this summer. The order mandates that the new hybrid policies take effect by July 1. Included in the order are instructions for CalHR to make it easier for certain former federal employees to begin working for the state of California. Thousands of state employees began working from home permanently during the COVID-19 pandemic and many have transitioned into a hybrid work model, with some agencies requiring in-person work at least one or two days per week, or every other week. A news release issued by the governor's office states that more than 224,000 people are employed by the state, with more than half of them working some sort of hybrid model. The state's human resources agency, CalHR, will issue more guidance, including for employees who have since moved farther away from their state office or who were hired with an agreement to work remotely. In light of recent firings at the federal level brought on by the Department of Government Efficiency, Newsom's order also directs the state human resources agency to streamline the hiring process for former federal employees in certain sectors. The governor's office statement says that the directive is for key positions in 'firefighting, extreme weather forecasting climate resilience, and water management roles…in addition to other critical fields such as medical and mental health care.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
CBS News
04-03-2025
- Business
- CBS News
California Gov. Newsom mandates 4 in-office days per week for state workers beginning July 1
SACRAMENTO — California Gov. Gavin Newsom on Monday issued an executive order mandating all state workers to work in office at least four days a week beginning July 1, 2025. The new hybrid work model applies to all state agencies and departments — more than 224,000 full-time employees — and aims to improve collaboration and communication, enhance mentorship and knowledge-sharing, strengthen oversight and accountability, and deliver better services to citizens of the state, the Governor's Office said. Further remote-working requests would be granted on a case-by-case basis "consistent with the executive order and existing family-friendly employment policies and legal obligations," Newsom's office said. Independent offices including those of the lieutenant governor, attorney general, secretary of state, state controller, superintendent of public instruction, treasurer, and insurance commissioner have been "strongly encouraged" by the state to implement the new hybrid work model to improve operations. Since June 17, 2024, state workers have been operating under a hybrid work model that required two in-office days per week. In announcing the new mandate, Gov. Newsom said: "State employees are the backbone of our government, and we are blessed in California with public servants who devote their time and talents to the smooth operation of critical services and public infrastructure. In-person work makes us all stronger — period. When we work together, collaboration improves, innovation thrives, and accountability increases. That means better service, better solutions, and better results for Californians, while still allowing flexibility." Under the governor's order, CalHR will also seek to hire former federal employees for state jobs such as firefighting, weather forecasting and forest management in an effort to address employment needs and strengthen California's emergency
