California Workers Protest 4-Day Office Return as Newsom Mandate Hits July 1
Updated
Updated · Capital Public Radio News · Jul 1
California Workers Protest 4-Day Office Return as Newsom Mandate Hits July 1
3 articles · Updated · Capital Public Radio News · Jul 1
Summary
Thousands of California state employees reported in person Wednesday as Newsom’s order raised the office requirement to four days a week from two.
Workers said the shift immediately strained parking, traffic and childcare arrangements, while some departments still lacked enough seating after pandemic-era hiring.
SEIU Local 1000 rallied at the Capitol and said the state again rejected remote-work and pay proposals; the union’s contract expired July 1 and its unfair-labor complaint is pending before PERB.
Newsom says more in-person work will lift productivity and help downtown businesses, but Assembly Bill 1729 would let agencies set telework rules and require a dashboard on remote-work savings and efficiency.
Lawmakers backing the bill warn the mandate could hurt retention, even as Newsom has signaled little support for legislation that would weaken the four-day return.