"After careful consideration and in response to our inability to meet the needs of program recipients, the decision was made to suspend teleworking," said Joshua Marshall, a spokesperson for the department.
"They scapegoat the frontline workers, and the problem, the issues that they use as a rationale for this are all issues that are symptoms of a vastly understaffed agency," said Steve Howard, executive director of the Vermont State Employees' Association.
Howard noted the state has been dealing with a high rate of vacancies for many jobs, a claim backed up by lawmakers and, in some cases, the departments themselves.
He said remote work can be an important tool for retaining employees, especially those who would have a long commute if forced to go into the office.
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