The politics of remote work and Wisconsin state employees

"We want to get the most out of our state workforce and this should have been done a long time ago, said state Rep. Amanda Nedweski, R-Pleasant Prairie, the author of AB 39, which is named the Return to Work bill. The Return to Work' bill simply requires state employees who worked inside an office building for the state prior to March 1 of 2020 to come back and work in person, she explained. The lawmaker has several reasons why she thinks state employees should be working in state office buildings instead of at home."

"It's been five years since this temporary solution to the COVID response was instituted, she said. There hasn't been an effort to evaluate productivity outside of the office, said Nedewski. So it just sort of was, We're all going to go home and work remotely and no one ever has to come back.' It's become sort of a permanent solution to what was a temporary problem. On Sept. 11, the Wisconsin State Assembly debated and ultimately passed Nedweski's bill, with all Republicans voting for it and all Democrats voting against it."

"Nedweski said she wrote the Return to Work bill to rein in a state government remote work system that lacks proper oversight of its employees. People are very concerned about efficiency fiscal management or mismanagement and fraud and you know, this is an accountability issue, she said. And, Nedewski said her constituents are asking for this bill. A lot of money comes out of your taxes, she said. If you're a teacher or a nurse or maybe you're a small business owner, you're paying a lot into the system."

Rep. Amanda Nedweski, R-Pleasant Prairie, sponsored AB 39, named the Return to Work bill. The bill requires state employees who worked inside a state office before March 1, 2020 to resume in-person work at least 80% of the work month, roughly four days per week, with some flexibility. Nedweski cited a lack of productivity evaluation during remote work, concern that remote work became a permanent solution to a temporary COVID response, and a need for accountability. The Assembly passed the bill on Sept. 11 with all Republicans supporting and all Democrats opposing. Nedweski said constituents worry about efficiency, fiscal management, and fraud and want value for tax dollars.

Read at pbswisconsin.org