California Governor Gavin Newsom has ordered nearly 100,000 state employees to return to their offices four days a week, effective July, Bloomberg reports.
This directive marks one of the largest state-level mandates since the COVID-19 pandemic dramatically altered work patterns, and aligns California with recent moves by the federal government and major corporations to increase in-person work.
The announcement, made Monday, will affect approximately 95,000 of California’s 224,000 state workers, as many roles already require full-time on-site presence. The move follows a White House directive pushing for a full-time return of federal employees and similar decisions by companies like Salesforce and JPMorgan Chase.
Governor Newsom defended the decision in a statement, emphasizing the benefits of in-person collaboration.
“In-person work makes us all stronger — period,” he stated. “When we work together, collaboration improves, innovation thrives, and accountability increases.”
The return-to-office mandate is expected to impact commutes, particularly in the already congested Sacramento area, as thousands of employees who reside far from their workplaces may face increased travel burdens.
While the mandate requires a four-day in-office work week, the governor’s office has indicated that exemptions will be considered on a case-by-case basis. Potential exemptions may include employees hired under previously agreed-upon telework arrangements and those living a considerable distance from their assigned work locations.
In a separate initiative, Governor Newsom also directed the state’s human resources department to facilitate employment opportunities for federal workers who were terminated during the Trump administration. The state plans to launch a dedicated website linking this “newly available talented workforce with current job opportunities” and actively identify vacancies that match the skills and experience of the former federal employees.
