Yes, you got me, I am horrible because I want my people working and not on FB.

For the new people, you are right because it isn't like the pension is great these days, and pay has always been under the private sector. Leave and insurance are some of the only benefits left that could draw someone in.

and yeah, I don't know why anyone near retirement wouldn't float out telework as long as possible and then just retire when it comes to it.

Well, there is something to be said for being a voice of reason. However, I have seen the state do dumb dumb things regarding state employees for decades now. Oh, the republican congress and republican governor starts not to pay into the pensions, cool... then they complain about the pensions being underfunded and have cut the pension - on of the things that really brings folks into the state employement.

They also don't do half measures or easy situations, like if I could go into the office when I want to, i'd be in more often but it would have to be every wednesday or one wednesday every month, similar to the AWS bullshit. I'm not doing that, i'm staying home full time if i can.

It is possible that the union gets telework into the new contract and those usually do include general management level staff as well, since it is easier but it is possible that management level are not included in that.

Or you know let them be productive through WFH.

Well if anyone needed an example of poor management we have one here.

Thanks for being the example.

Hey, I'm assuming you tried asking in r/glutenfree? Good luck, I know it can be tricky finding GF food.

I’ve been trying to be the voice of reason in my office about the rumors, but it does get exhausting.

You sound like a shit supervisor if that's how you view your employees.

My labor and life is worth more than someone’s economic dreams. Remote work means business needs to adapt, not complain and constrict.

Get up and take your lazy asses to the office

I'd assume that the justification for the state office space needs to be justified. But I think that this would be a good time for state workers to negotiate better working environments for some office's.

Yeah and I also heard that at that meeting two weeks ago they'd be telling us we are back in full time.

Then I was told actually we're going to be told we're doing three days a week in the office...

Then I was told actually it's just managers going to get called back three days first.....

Oh actually, managers are gonna be coming in full time...

My point is, unless you get it in writing from the governers office, stop believing all these stupid back to work rumors flying around.

Let the office pessamists work themselves up, dont feed into it by spreading all those rumors. Like I said, talk to your union rep about your telework opinions, tell them you want to telework. Or If you aren't in the union consider joining so that you can voice your concerns yourself.

I work remote some, but I’m a supervisor, so I’ve earned the right. Most people need to be in the office to collaborate and be monitored that they are working and not goofing off.

I heard that the union wasn’t too keen on putting telework into the contract and are actually discussing calling union staff back into the office in August.

I am in this same boat. I’m not covered by the Union contract, but usually management level staff end up following whatever is in the union contract. I have had two staff members say they will quit if we have to go back into the office and another that said they are likely to retire early even if it means taking a hit to their pension. Our office has been very bit as productive from home as they were in the office. I’d actually argue they are more productive because they are spending more of their day working and less time with the “water cooler” office talk and all the other distractions that come with the office environment. Morale is low already, as you said, and if we get called back in for essentially no good reason, people are never going to put in the same amount of effort into their daily work they are now.

Says the person with no understanding of what remote work is.

My friend works doing the phone calls for heating assistance and all that and they are renting out most of her building to other businesses. She said they are keeping a small office for those who can’t/won’t work from home and managers. Other than that shes working from home permanently.

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They should, covid is over, people are going back to work now.

Not any more! Thanks Supreme Court!!

I am not a union member; however, all of my staff are active members. They have a great deal of anxiety given the “unknown.” I do know that they reported receiving questionnaires about what issues are most important to them in the next contact. Salary and teleworking of course are the most important issues to them. Personally, since teleworking began, productivity for most of my team has greatly increased and given inflation, it’s one of the few perks they have at the moment. Morale is already low as is our complement. If teleworking is eliminated, I will probably lose most of my newer people and those who can retire. For my agency, there is no need for everyone to be back into the office. In our particular local office, we have no desire for anyone to have to return unwillingly. Unfortunately, we have no control over what the new administration decides. I am hoping that teleworking will continue going forward.

This is the exact type of answer I was looking for. Thanks so much!

The senior level management in my department were under the same telework agreement as the rest of us.

So the new DEP sec had a 'fun' little meeting two weeks ago and we were told "teleworking is a privilege not a right"

Which....Given that several of us signed on with contracts that state we can fulltime/part time telework....im not sure how that's a privilege.

It's since been stated to a few of us by several senior DEP employees that:

1. The state is having retention problems due to low pay

2. A lot of senior level employees moved away from the large city centers when teleworking was implemented and are close enough to full retirement they'd rather retire than come back

3. A lot of new employees took paycuts to come to the state with the understanding that the cost saved from going to an office by teleworking would make up for it. These employees might leave for the private industry if they lose the one plus they had coming here.

The over all take away was that it seems no one aside from the governor has any idea about what's going to happen with it. But management is aware if teleworking goes away, it's not going quietly.

I know our union reps are trying to get teleworking put into the new contract. If you have any concerns I'd reach out to your union rep and let them know how you feel about it. The more voices the better.

Ok, do you think senior level management were wfh on telework agreements that are now being reneged?