Workers in California are expressing a strong preference for remote work, wanting to stay in their pajamas rather than return to the office. This sentiment is gaining traction among engineers’ unions backing new legislation opposing Governor Gavin Newsom’s July 1 mandate that requires many state employees to be in the office up to four days a week.
Union representatives argue that telecommuting is more efficient and cost-effective. They are advocating for the California Flexibility Policy to Ensure Efficient Government Laws to Ensure Value for Money. “We should all embrace telework,” stated Ted Toppin, the executive director of California Government Professional Engineers, emphasizing that the bill will help maintain telework as a viable option for state employees. “These are tangible benefits and common goals for all Californians,” he added.
The proposed telecommuting legislation aims to require managers to give detailed written justifications when requesting employees return to the office. Authored by Rep. Alex Lee, a Democrat from Milpitas, the bill has the backing of roughly 15,000 members of the California Government Professional Engineers Union.
Additionally, the measure seeks to reestablish a public dashboard to track the annual savings for taxpayers resulting from remote work—a report that the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications ceased publishing in 2024. Newsom originally mandated two days of in-person work, which has since been extended to four days a week.
Unions argue that advancing telework could lead to substantial savings for the state. Toppin noted, “Flexible telework will save hundreds of millions of dollars, take thousands of cars off the roads, clean our air, and help the state hire and retain employees during an ongoing pay freeze.” During the pandemic, remote work policies were widely adopted, and by 2024, half of all state employees will qualify for telecommuting, with 74% expressing interest in it. According to CalMatters, a state auditor’s report from 2025 indicated that allowing staff to work remotely at least three days a week would decrease office space demand by 30%, potentially saving California up to $225 million annually.
Those excluded from the proposal include departments such as the California Highway Patrol, Cal Fire, and the Department of Corrections. Unions have historically demonstrated significant political influence, contributing $3.5 million to state legislators between 2015 and 2024, per CalMatters’ Digital Democracy database.
This bill seems likely to create friction between the unions and Newsom, potentially leading to significant discussions in Congress regarding authority over California’s extensive state workforce. The governor’s office declined to comment on the pending legislation when contacted by the newspaper.
