The Governor Abod mandated to return to the office.
Texas Austin -Texas state leaders are mandatory to return to the office to employees.
Greg Abbott Governor sent a guideline to the state agency and demanded the end of the remote work policy.
In the e -mail gained by KVUE, the main staff received this message.
“All good afternoon,
The state agency has been informed of the Governor’s expectation that employees will be in the office with full time, which can be executed in accordance with today’s state law.
A few minutes ago, I shared and asked our DEDS and directors. Today we don’t have any answers to all that questions, but we share what we know, and there are more answers to more specific questions for the next few weeks.
I asked the deputy directors to start reporting to the office on March 17, 2025. All other Austin -based employees will begin to report full time by March 31, 2025. Employees who have a workstation in Houston or Portwork Office will also report full time from March 31st. “
Ann Bishop, the executive director of the Texas Public Employes Association, said that more than 150 state and departments are handled by these guidelines.
Bishop said, “The head of the state is continuing plans with the state leadership to determine the best way to work again for employees, but it can efficiently and effectively meet the taxpayer’s needs.”
Abbott’s guidelines for ending remote work policies occur as some institutions cancel their lease or reduced offices to save costs. BISHOP means that some may have no space to bring workers to the building.
Bishop said, “I have made some assumptions about working remotely for a few days a week and other employees coming in a few days a week.” “The lack of office space should be solved.”
For example, the TXDOT office was not designed to keep all employees at once along the Stassney Lane. This measure was made to save money and reduce costs.
Hybrid schedules are not rare for state staff. The bishop said that many people spent 3-4 days in the office and 1-1 at home, and the agency could stumble the personnel entering the office.
Bishop said, “They share their offices, but many agencies have everyone at the same time.” “It may be half a day, but you can go to the meeting room and other areas to need a team meeting.”
The obligation to mandate Abod’s driving force mandated the authority to delegate similar efforts by President Donald Trump to mirror. President Donald Trump issued an administrative order on the first day, calling for federal workers to return to work.
The bishop is convinced that the head of the state will determine the best way to fulfill the delegation by cooperating with the state employees.
Bishop said, “Based on the fact that you can work for two days remotely or for two days, the main employee who has not changed the lifestyle will not be a problem.” “On the other hand, for other people with small children or elderly parents who help them take care of them, it will take a little more time to prepare for what they need to do, and it is important to understand what expectations are.”
Ashley Hood and her family had a one -year rough water. Her and her husband remained unemployed last year for 11 months. Ashley left a job four months ago and started as a health physics at the Texas Environmental Quality Committee in mid -February.
The hood reviews the license and environmental reports of a company that mine Uranium in Texas to comply with rules and regulations on radioactivity safety.
In a few weeks, the hood said he started to feel comfortable.
“I was having a good conversation. I can relax now. I am in a good place. ” “My child and I do not commute, so I spend more time together. This is great.”
The ability to stay at home and stay with family and root with family is worthwhile and that HOOD has worked.
Texas now tells the state agency to end the hybrid work as much as possible and bring the worker to bring it back to the office.
Hood said, “This left a lot of uncertainty. Does it mean that returning to the office now means commuting? When I accepted this job, I expected to be completely far away and always work at home. “It’s the same now. Okay. There’s a lot of uncertainty about whether to keep this role, and it was a big factor to accept and work.”
Communicating to the office in Austin is one and a half to 2 hours in each way.
Hood said, “To go to the office in order to start the day, you have to leave quite a while.
According to the bishop, some institutions had remote workers for 10 or 15 years, and some did not enter the office as they were clown with Texas.
BISHOP said, “Many agencies have a weekly call center or customer service center, and employment is based on not only Austin but also throughout Texas. There may be a call center person in El Paso, Dallas or San Antonio. “It is more effective to allow people to use people based on research and reports, and people in the state office take up expensive spaces and the taxpayer can answer questions.”
This week, Brian Guthrie, executive director of the Texas teacher retirement system, was asked about remote work at the Doge Committe hearing. He said about 50-75%of his employees work at home for one to two days a week.
“We know that we did not affect operational efficiency with employees who could work at home for a day or two, but the trend is returning to the office.
Guthrie said that there is no problem in returning to the office for five days a week, but 200-300 employees want to provide telephone counseling services at home.
Guthrie said, “We’ll do it with your arms open.” “I want to let the telephone counselor stay at home.”
Guthrie said it would be “easing process”, but not all employees work at a certain day.
Guthrie said, “We think we are reaching the point where you can pick a plug.
In the November 2024 report of the Legislative Budget Committee, the state agency has received a positive feedback on remote work, which is an important factor in recruiting, maintaining and improving productivity.
Bishop said, “Texas has experienced a few changes over the lifetime, which is only one of such changes, but leadership and agency are cooperating to accept it.” “I believe it will happen again. The agency will adjust and pivot, and the main staff will adjust and pivot. Everyone wants to do his best in Texas.”
State lawmakers are also considering bill To move some of the main agencies from Austin to an affordable city. Mayes Middleton Senator (R-Galveston) I submitted the bill Considering the office space and the cost of movement, instruct the state leader to evaluate the agency headquarters. If the cost is found, the institution must move. This bill was referred to the review committee.
