by Guy Page
The Scott administration Wednesday said it will soon roll out a formal plan to bring state employees back to their offices, nearly four years after thousands of workers were sent home at the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic.
At a press conference, Gov. Phil Scott told reporters his team is working on a proposal but declined to offer a specific timeline. “I don’t want to get ahead of what we’re proposing,” Scott said. “I did that two weeks ago, so I might make the same mistake twice. But I think we’re making progress.”
Administration Secretary Sarah Clark said the goal is to create a consistent standard for in-person work across state government, while still allowing for some remote flexibility.
“This will still allow, where appropriate, the ability to work remotely for our employees, but there will be more consistent in-office work than we currently have,” Clark said. “We think it’s very important, as public servants, that we have a more consistent in-office approach.”
Clark added that the administration is aware of concerns such as commuting time and childcare, and plans to address them as the policy is developed. She said decisions about which office buildings will be used, and how to deal with existing infrastructure issues, remain to be worked out.
Supporters of state employees working from home say it helps hire and retain high-skilled workers, particularly those in the IT field. Private sector employers offering both higher pay and working from home can offer substantially better job offers than state government. Supporters also cite the high cost of housing in the Burlington – Waterbury – Montpelier corridor, where many state offices are located.
The Vermont State Employees’ Association, which represents about 6,000 state workers, is preparing to meet with the administration once a draft plan is ready.
In an Aug. 11 newsletter, VSEA President Steve Howard urged union members to make their voices heard. “The time to act is now!” Howard wrote. “VSEA members are urged to call or email Governor Phil Scott and let him know how you feel about his announcement on developing a plan to return state employees to the office. Please use your break or on your own time using your own phone or computer.”
The Governor’s Office phone number is 802-828-3333. Constituents may also contact the governor’s office at this online link.
A bill originally intended to convert unused state office buildings to affordable housing was introduced in this year’s Legislature. As the difficulty of rehabbing these buildings into housing became apparent, the bill’s sponsors eventually focused on preparing an inventory of unused or underused state property.