Dear Civil Service Commission and Department Cabinet Members,

We the undersigned CWA members and workers in the State Executive Branch, are calling on the Civil Service Commission, the Cabinet, and Governor Murphy to enact a permanent rule before the end of 2024 to allow for expansive telework beyond two days, dual participation in telework and Alternate Workweek Program (AWP), fair evaluation of job duties on a case-by-case basis, and enforcement of the rule through the grievance procedure.

The State cannot delay any longer from recognizing the needs of the workforce and creating a fair, permanent telework rule now!

Telework is not new, but we need a permanent rule to ensure the program is fair, equitable, and enforceable for the state workforce. Over the last four years, we have repeatedly demonstrated our ability to effectively work from home. We continued to deliver high-quality service to the public, we have improved our internal collaboration as the result of new technology and more flexible scheduling, and we have continued state operations through weather, emergencies, and other disruptions to service. Our workplace has adapted to telework and it’s time to make telework part of permanent civil service regulations.

Only allowing for two days of remote work and forcing us to choose between participating in telework or AWP are arbitrary rules that do not accurately reflect the diversity of the work performed in our departments. Allowing for expansive dual participation will help retain our workforce and recruit new workers that may otherwise turn to the private sector in hopes of finding a more flexible work schedule.

The ability to telework is a major incentive for joining state service. At a time when recruitment and retention is a challenge, the lack of a permanent telework standard will undermine delivery of public services. We understand that not every job function can be done remotely, but most positions do have a component that can be effectively completed while teleworking. State employees that have been unilaterally denied the right to telework deserve access to a grievance procedure that can objectively determine the capacity for their position to be done partly remotely to ensure equitable access to telework.

We call on the administration to take immediate and overdue steps to enact a rule in 2024.