Connecticut State Workers Can Now Request Work At Home Schedules

Since the start of the pandemic back in March of 2020, many state employees have been working remote from home, and now a ruling has come down to let them remain in their homes and not have to report to the office.

The new ruling by a state arbitrator, which will effect thousands of state employees, will now allow them to appeal being required to work in their actual office for more then one day a week.

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The new ruling comes at a time when the union and Governor Ned Lamont have been at odds with the at home / in office mandates. The Governor, who at one time during the pandemic had full authority using his emergency powers, has since lost some of that authority and is currently operating with reduced emergency power, which by the way is set to expire on February 15.

It's been an ongoing back and forth battle, but now that the pandemic cases have increased dramatically in the state, the latest numbers have a positivity rate surge of almost 24 percent, which is the highest it's been since the start of the pandemic with nearly one in four tests coming back positive.

According to courant.com, the Governor and the unions had come to terms on an earlier temporary agreement back in August when initial stay-at-home restrictions were being lifted, but needed to have a permanent at work / at home policy in place by the start of 2022.

In a 37 page arbitration report that essentially says that "any denial or modification to the earlier agreement that would result in an employee being required to work on site at the office more then one day per week would be open for an appeal."

The latest arbitration ruling says that state employees can put in a request for a work at home schedule that are consistent with their job duties and operational needs.

There are many state employees would not be eligible for an appeal to this new ruling because their jobs cannot be accomplished working from home. This may apply to state troopers, correction officers, child-protection social workers, transportation department drivers, etc.