Gov. DeWine orders state employees back to the office

Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine issued an executive order on Feb. 4 to bring all state workers back to the office, which comes on the heels of President Donald Trump’s announcement of a similar order for federal employees.
 
The ability to work from home for many state employees began on March 9, 2020, due to the COVID-19 pandemic and ended – or shifted to a hybrid role - for many others on June 18, 2021, following the official ending of the state of emergency related to the pandemic.
 
The new executive order states, that it is in the best interest of the citizens of Ohio that all state employees return to a physical office or facility. Thus, permanent employees at state agencies, boards and commissions are now required to return to the office to perform their routine duties no later than March 17.
-          Employees for whom no reasonable in-office employment is possible, or other compelling situations and has certified those requests to the Director of the Department of Administrative Services.
-          Employees who would require that new or additional office space would have to be acquired or remodeled at additional cost
-          Other exceptions as outlined within the revised DAS policy and subject to the approval of the Director of DAS.