Telecommuting is an option for California state workers, but it’s up to their bosses

California state government departments have not granted blanket approvals for public employees to work from home despite concerns about the rapidly spreading novel coronavirus.

The state Department of Human Resources, CalHR, last week issued guidance to government agencies advising them on rules for sick time and telecommuting.

Since then, Gov. Gavin Newsom has recommended that organizations postpone large public events to slow the spread of the virus.

Another executive order Newsom signed this week includes provisions meant to keep state government fully staffed amid the outbreak by waiving limitations on how many hours employees can work.

Several state workers have reached out to The Sacramento Bee expressing frustration that their work-from-home requests had not been approved. Their worries are similar to concerns expressed by public employees in the Capitol, which also is operating on a normal schedule.

It’s up to each California government department to decide whether to grant a request for remote work, CalHR spokesman Andrew LaMar said. Department needs could vary, from staffing state prisons to serving customers at the Department of Motor Vehicle offices.

LaMar said CalHR has instructed agencies on how to expand “teleworking” capability in emergency situations for employees who want to work from home.

He recommended that state workers who want to telecommute to contact their human resource officer, “and understand that departments are getting lots of requests and doing their best to respond.”

He added that the work-from-home rules could change.

“As you know, the present situation is fluid and dynamic, and the Newsom administration is assessing developments as they occur and making adjustments as needed,” LaMar said.