Last week, the California Department of Human Resources provided new guidance for state employee work-from-home accommodations, following Governor Gavin Newsom’s executive order requiring them in-office four days a week, starting July 1.
The document broadly outlines cases where the state is required by law to make reasonable accommodations, such as for employees with certain disabilities.
While the state has historically been a leader in inclusive policies for employees with disabilities, Tim O’Connor, president of the California Association of State Attorneys and Administrative Law Judges, said he has concerns about the timeline for this change.
“I would be concerned if the state moves too quickly and too haphazardly with this — they wouldn’t have adequate accommodations for employees that needed them, whereas those employees when working from home had their accommodations,” he said.
The guidelines also make exceptions to the new in-office rule for jobs that require telework and employees who live at least 50 miles from their designated office.
Additionally, taking care of young children or aging parents while working from home isn’t ideal, but it’s a reality for many California state workers.
Some in that position say that the governor’s new mandate could make their jobs impossible.
That includes Yen Vong, an auditor with the Department of Health Care Services who is married to another state employee.
Their four-year-old son has autism and requires extra care, including an in-home behavior session that Vong says doesn’t affect her work — she just needs to be in the house.
“If we have to go back to the office full time — four days a week — we wouldn’t be able to pick him up at noon or even have the session happen at all,” she said.
Governor Gavin Newsom’s new order broadly addresses accommodations the state can make, many on a case-by-case basis.
Vong said she requested one when Newsom ordered state workers to return to the office part-time last year.
“They said the special accommodation is only for the person itself, not for the person to take care of another one,” she said.
Vong added her son’s needs make it difficult to find adequate childcare, and she’s barely able to make the 2-day-a-week in-office requirements work.
“I have to prioritize my child’s needs more than work, especially when he has special needs,” she said.
O’Connor, the union president, said that since the new order was announced earlier this month, he’s heard from many people in situations like Vong’s.
“I’m very concerned we would lose key talent because people would leave the state for other employers who are allowing more flexibility,” he said.
The Department of Human Resources, the Department of Government Services and the Department of Government Operations turned down interview requests for this story.
Megan Myscofski is a statehouse/politics reporter at CapRadio. CapRadio is a partner of The Intersection and CVJC.