Remote work has been a hot topic, both in Texas and around the country. Many workers during the COVID-19 pandemic switched to working from home, and most have retained either a fully remote schedule or a hybrid schedule. But how likely is that to continue?
In the past year, numerous companies have started implementing a return-to-office policy for remote workers. The primary reasons given are decreased productivity and adverse effects on teamwork. However, a high-level survey by the Legislative Budget Board in 2024 was presented to the Senate Committee on Finance showed that remote work had a positive effect on their current workforce, especially in recruitment and retention; few negative impacts were reported. This did not seem to sway Legislators.
The current federal administration has take a hard line stance on remote work; federal employees must return to the office or face termination. As of now, there are no exceptions to this policy, and it effects every single federal employee that is currently full-time remote or hybrid.
Remember the issue of remote work was brought up during the last (88th) Legislative Session, and TPEA (who is your friend at the Capitol) emphasized to Legislators the necessity of maintaining flexibility to prevent an increase in the already high turnover rate from what it was at that time. While the federal mandate only impacts federal employees, Governor Abbott has indicated that he would like to adopt many of the same policies and mandates being set by the federal administration. This would indicate that at some point, the topic of remote work will come under more scrutiny.
Currently, HB 635, which addresses flexible and remote work, was filed in November 2024, but no progress has been made on it. As mentioned earlier, during the 88th legislative session in 2023, TPEA testified on behalf of the autonomy of agencies to set their own remote work policies. Our position this session remains the same; state agencies need the freedom to set the remote work policies that work best for them and their staff. To support this cause, if you're not a member then consider becoming a member of TPEA so we can gather the resources needed to advocate effectively.
To view the remote work survey presented to the Senate Committee on Finance, click on the image above. It is the first agenda item of the day, and the discussion spans approximately 20 minutes.
We will continue monitoring this topic as this is a hot topic for state employees. If you haven't already, you can stay informed by signing up for the TPEA newsletter to get breaking news right in your inbox. Thank you for all you do for Texas!
The more members, the more of an impact during this Legislative Session. Are you a member?
TPEA is your friend at the Capitol.