Civil servants for the Employment Development Department (EDD) in California have recently received return-to-office orders. Workers will be required to work from the office twice a week starting in early spring, according to an email from EDD Director Nancy Farias. Other state agencies, including environmental protection and health and human services, have made similar declarations.

This comes as part of a push to intensify office culture and foster collaboration among workers. Upcoming budget proposals by Governor Gavin Newsom suggest a cut in the telework stipends of state workers depending on their eligibility.

While this change is anticipated to affect everyone differently, each branch will have flexibility in establishing their reporting requirements. Factors such as operations, office space, and equipment will be considered.

The return-to-office orders follow four years of nearly complete remote work in California state government due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Employees have had their lives changed, with their commutes eliminated and their time at home increased.

In Farias’s Monday email, she directed employees to a “frequently asked questions document that provides additional information about the change. Employees have to seek approval from their bosses about their work arrangement and accommodations. The FAQ document provides very few specific exceptions to in-person reporting.

Workers are expected to report to their assigned locations, even if they live far away. Exceptions can be made upon supervisor approval. The new office structure will likely require desk sharing due to increased staffing and reduced facility space.

The return-to-office push might affect plans announced last August by the Department of General Services, who planned to convert three state office buildings, including EDD buildings, into affordable housing. It’s not clear how the new work order will alter these plans. The email does not specify where employees who used to work in these buildings will now report.

Furthermore, family caregivers will not receive flexibility or exemption from working in the office. Instead, these employees are directed to protected leave programs like the Family and Medical Leave Act and the California Family Rights Act.