State Telework Policies

CALIFORNIA STATE AUDITOR 15 August 2025 | Report 2024-118 Table 1 Two of Six Departments Used Employee Feedback to Inform Changes to Their Telework Practices Before the Governor’s April 2024 Directive DATE OF DID THE INFORMATION SURVEY COLLECTED INFORM OR FOCUS REPORTED BENEFITS REPORTED CHALLENGES CHANGES TO DEPARTMENT GROUP RELATED TO TELEWORK RELATED TO TELEWORK TELEWORK PRACTICES? CARB 2020 • Greater productivity • Keeping connected with • Staff retention colleagues • Greater ability to • Building relationships and recruit new staff culture with new staff YES Required one day • Ability to monitor in‑office per week staff progress on assignments Caltrans 2021 • Greater productivity • Lack of feeling connected and • Increased morale • Social isolation 2022 • Better work‑life NO* balance FTB 2020 • Greater productivity • Less spontaneous and • Fewer distractions connection/collaboration 2024 • Improved time • Disconnection from management FTB culture YES Required two • Improved attendance Beginning in February 2024, days in‑office per FTB launched a voluntary week rather than exit interview process, three days† which found: • Over a quarter of respondents reported leaving FTB for positions that offered more telework/remote options CalPERS NA Did not conduct a NA NA survey or analyze employee feedback CalHR NA Did not conduct a NA NA survey or analyze employee feedback DGS NA Did not conduct a NA NA survey or analyze employee feedback Source: Departments’ survey data and reports, memos, and interviews. NA = Not applicable. * Caltrans’ deputy division chief of safety and management services stated that because of the diversity and uniqueness of its programs, the department implemented a telework policy allowing management to evaluate the essential functions of positions to determine eligibility for telework according to business needs. She explained that, as a result, various programs, district offices, and divisions across the department implemented in‑office requirements for employees as needed. † FTB originally returned to the office one day per week in April 2022 and later two days per week in October 2022.