California Orders State Workers Back to Offices Four Days a Week

Governor Gavin Newsom's executive order, effective July 1, shifts thousands of state employees from remote and hybrid work setups to in-person schedules.

The mandate applies to about 95,000 state employees who currently work remotely or in hybrid setups, requiring them to return to offices four days a week starting July 1.
Governor Newsom emphasized the benefits of in-person work, including improved collaboration, innovation, and accountability, while allowing limited telework exemptions on a case-by-case basis.
The order aligns California with national and corporate trends, following similar mandates from the White House and companies like Amazon and JPMorgan Chase.
Labor unions have criticized the decision, citing increased costs for workers and arguing that remote work has proven effective and beneficial for productivity and work-life balance.
The executive order also aims to streamline hiring of former federal employees for key disaster response and emergency roles, addressing vacancies in areas like firefighting and weather forecasting.

Orange County Register

SFGATE

San Francisco Chronicle