Assembly Passes Bill Allowing Work-From-Home For State Employees

NEW YORK STATE — The New York State Assembly has passed a bill that would allow state employees to work remotely when possible, and it is getting support from the workers themselves.

The bill, if enacted, would create a permanent option for state employees to work remotely, if possible. It was proposed by Queens Assemblywoman Nily Rozic.

"We’ve learned so much from the pandemic, don’t let it go to waste," Rozic said on Twitter. "Workers want it, families need it. Flexible work and teleworking make workplaces more effective, sustainable, and safe."

Proponents of the bill say it's important not just for the safety of the workers themselves, but also for their families. If children need to quarantine for due to COVID exposure or illness, someone has to stay home with them. If employees don't have the option to work remotely, it can be quite challenging.

"The governor understood that by allowing the Senate and Assembly (and their staff) to telecommute, she was providing necessary additional protections to stifle the spread of the pandemic," New York State Public Employees Federation (PEF) President Wayne Spence said in a statement earlier this month. "These same protections should be afforded to us 'ordinary' folk as well."

The surge in Omicron cases across the state have forced many people into isolation and quarantine. Schools have gone remote as infections among staff and students climb. When students are home, it can create new burdens for parents.

According to NY1, about 20,000 of the 50,000 people represented by the PEF could work remotely, which they did when the pandemic first started in 2020.