Union Coalition Sues Lamont Over Back-to-Work Directive

Most employees have headed back to their offices at least part-time, but a coalition of state employees says Gov. Ned Lamont is violating their telework policy by forcing them back to the office full-time July 1.

In a lawsuit filed in Hartford Superior Court, the State Employees Bargaining Agent Coalition, which represents state employees, says the Lamont administration is “unilaterally altering state employee’s telework schedule.”

The policy impacts about 10,000 state employees who have jobs that don’t interface with the public. Under their original 2017 contract, these employees have the ability to telework 50% of the time. That telework policy was modified during the COVID-19 pandemic and the union coalition wants to keep the transition agreement allowing employees to telecommute 100% of the time, in place at least until employees’ new telework applications can be approved.

During the height of the pandemic, the policy was: “Telework First: It is understood and agreed that not all jobs are conducive to telework. To the extent it is feasible and practicable, employees who have been able to telework will generally continue to do so, unless otherwise directed by the appointing authority.”

Read more: https://ctnewsjunkie.com/2021/07/08/union-coalition-sues-lamont-over-back-to-work-directive/