"Remote employees living out of state are the exception, not the rule. According to data from the Vermont Department of Human Resources, the state workforce is now distributed more broadly across all fourteen counties than it was prior to the pandemic when employment was heavily concentrated in Washington and Chittenden counties. That shift hasn't weakened public service; it has spread it."
"Those employees may not be spending money in Montpelier or Waterbury, but they are spending it in Hardwick, Brattleboro, Rutland and dozens of other communities. The local commitment Jones suggests is missing hasn't vanished; it has been redistributed. Public sector employees are also more likely than the general population to volunteer in their communities through nonprofits, fire departments and emergency services, according to the latest labor data on volunteerism by occupation."
Remote employees living out of state are the exception; the state workforce is now distributed more broadly across all fourteen counties compared with pre-pandemic concentration in Washington and Chittenden counties. That redistribution has spread public service and economic activity to communities like Hardwick, Brattleboro and Rutland. Public sector employees volunteer at higher rates than the general population in nonprofits, fire departments and emergency services. The Vermont State Employees' Association advocates for members and contends the governor's return-to-commute order imposes new housing, childcare and transportation costs, may violate 21 V.S.A. § 309 and appears to conflict with National Labor Relations Board rulings on unilateral changes. Public service should be judged by outcomes and community impact, not commuting miles.
Read at VTDigger
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