The Minnesota state government is preparing for thousands of employees to return to in-person work, some for the first time since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. With approximately 40,000 state employees, around 16,000 have been teleworking, while 60% of the workforce continued working onsite throughout the pandemic. The transition back has sparked controversy among employees and unions, particularly concerning agency clarity on workspace needs and telecommuting policies, which are being determined at an individual agency level.
But the plan is also hugely controversial among the state's workforce and the unions that represent them. It's somewhat opaque, too, as many of the details will be hammered out by individual agencies.
About 60% never stopped going to work during the pandemic because of the nature of their jobs, said Patrick Hogan, spokesman for Minnesota Management and Budget.
We gave a lot of really careful thought to ... how the policy intersected with our operations and business needs, said DNR Deputy Commissioner Barb Naramore.
Union leaders dispute that and some agencies have not yet clarified their specific workspace needs.
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