California Union Pushes Work-From-Home Bill as Newsom Calls State Employees Back to Office

The engineers union is seeking to make remote work a permanent option for state workers as the governor mandates more in-person work.

Published on Feb. 22, 2026

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One of California's largest public employee unions, the Professional Engineers in California Government, is pushing legislation to make remote work a permanent option for state workers. This comes as Gov. Gavin Newsom has mandated that most state employees work in the office at least four days a week starting July 1. The union's bill would require state agencies to offer work-from-home options 'to the fullest extent possible' and provide written justifications when they require in-person work.

Why it matters

The push for remote work options highlights the ongoing tensions between state employees and the Newsom administration over the future of work. While the governor argues that in-person collaboration is important, the union cites cost savings, environmental benefits, and worker preferences as reasons to maintain flexible telework policies.

The details

The bill, authored by Assemblymember Alex Lee, a Milpitas Democrat, would require the state to establish a dashboard to document the annual savings from remote work. It comes as the state faces challenges implementing Newsom's mandate, with many agencies lacking enough workstations. The engineers union, which represents over 15,000 state engineers, has a history of winning concessions at the bargaining table and has spent millions lobbying lawmakers.

  • In 2024, half of the state's workers were eligible for remote work, and 74% of those workers preferred telework.
  • In 2024, Newsom angered thousands of state employees by calling them back to the office at least two days a week.
  • Last year, Newsom signed a mandate requiring most state workers to be in the office at least four days a week, but delayed implementation until July 2026.

The players

Professional Engineers in California Government

A union that represents more than 15,000 state engineers who mostly work for Caltrans and in environmental agencies.

Gavin Newsom

The governor of California who has mandated that most state employees work in the office at least four days a week starting July 1, 2026.

Alex Lee

A Milpitas Democrat who authored the bill to make remote work a permanent option for state workers.

Ted Toppin

The executive director of the Professional Engineers in California Government union.

Department of General Services

The state agency that manages contracts and real estate for the California government, and previously published data on the savings from remote work until ending the practice in 2024.

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What they’re saying

“The intent is absolutely to establish a state policy that flexible telework can and should be provided to state employees, because it serves state government, it serves taxpayers, and it certainly serves state employees.”

— Ted Toppin, Executive Director, Professional Engineers in California Government

“Saving money, protecting the environment, cutting traffic, recruiting and training staff. Those are shared goals of all Californians.”

— Ted Toppin, Executive Director, Professional Engineers in California Government

“These cost savings and environmental benefits directly benefit the public.”

— Alex Lee, Assemblymember

What’s next

The California State Assembly will consider the work-from-home bill in the coming months as the July 1 deadline for Newsom's in-office mandate approaches.

The takeaway

The battle over remote work for California state employees highlights the ongoing tensions between unions, the governor's office, and the need to balance cost savings, worker preferences, and in-person collaboration in the post-pandemic era of work.