03-13-2025
California Governor Gavin Newsom issued an executive order requiring all state workers to work in the office at least four days a week. The order goes into effect on July 1, 2025. This hybrid schedule applies to all state agencies and departments, which includes 224,000 full-time employees. Gov. Newsom stated that the in-office requirement will improve collaboration and communication, enhance mentorship and knowledge-sharing, strengthen oversight and accountability, and deliver better services to the state. Remote working requests may be granted on an individual basis “consistent with the executive order and existing family-friendly employment policies and legal obligations.” Independent offices, like the attorney general, secretary of state, state controller, superintendent of public instruction, treasurer, and insurance commissioner are not part of the order. However, the state has encouraged these offices to use the same hybrid schedule.
The unions representing public employees have previously fought against efforts to bring back employees into the office. Since June 2024, state workers have had a hybrid schedule that requires at least two days in the office each week. There is ongoing litigation on those issues. The union representing state attorneys asserted that this order “came out of nowhere, and it’s a misguided mandate that really ignores the benefits of telework. This is a very harsh order.” About 950,000 state employees work remotely or in a hybrid capacity.
The state is also trying to hire former federal employees for state jobs. Newsom’s order includes a provision to streamline hiring these employees for roles like firefighting, weather forecasting, forest management, mental health, and the sciences. These hires are an effort by the state to take care of employment needs and strengthen its emergency resources.