An amendment that limits the amount of time state government workers can do their jobs remotely made its way into the Ohio Senate last Thursday.
If it survives the budget’s conference committee and is signed by Gov. Mike DeWine, Ohioans working for the state will only be allowed to work from home eight hours each week.
Across the state, Ohio’s government has close to 50,000 workers on the payroll. The only exceptions will be if they have reasonable accommodations under the Americans with Disabilities Act.
The remote work limitation would begin in August for state Department of Education workers and October for everyone else, according to the budget document.
“You do more work, you do more effective work, when you are physically present at your workplace,” Ohio Senate President Matt Huffman said in a recent interview.
Columbus Mayor Andrew Ginther also welcomed the proposed measure. He said: “Columbus police officers, firefighters, and waste collectors didn’t Zoom in during COVID-19”.
Members of the Ohio House voted not to concur with the Senate’s version of the budget Wednesday afternoon. They will have to whittle down the numerous differences between the two versions, including the remote work proposal, among others.