PECG Welcomes Audit Supporting Flexible Telework

Audit finds telework can save hundreds of millions of dollars annually; PECG renews call for maximum telework flexibility.

SACRAMENTO, CA, UNITED STATES, August 12, 2025 /EINPresswire.com/ -- The Professional Engineers in California Government (PECG) expressed strong agreement this morning with a state audit’s findings that “a one‑size-fits-all approach to telework is counter to state policy and may limit opportunities for significant cost savings.” Specifically, the audit finds that if state employees telework three or more days per week, the State could reduce office space and generate cost savings of as much as $225 million annually.

“This audit confirms what has been apparent for some time: Flexible telework benefits taxpayers, state government, and state employees. If utilized appropriately, it can save hundreds of millions of dollars a year and advance so many of the Administration’s goals – cut emissions and energy use, reduce congestion, and recruit and retain the skilled employees desperately needed within state government,” said PECG Executive Director Ted Toppin. “The Governor has recently called for a more cost-effective and efficient state government. The audit finds that to serve those goals, he should look no further than flexible telework. Delivering state services at a lower cost while helping to achieve multiple other policy goals is the definition of cost-effective and efficient government.”

Last summer, a bipartisan legislative committee directed the State Auditor to evaluate state telework policies after the Newsom Administration ordered employees to return to offices at least two days per week. Despite many state-documented benefits of the more flexible policy, the mandate ended a four-year system that allowed employees and their managers to decide remote and in-office schedules. In March, Newsom ordered employees to return to offices four days per week in July, then negotiated with PECG to delay the second order for one year.

The state audit findings that align with PECG’s longstanding perspective on telework include:

• An effective, flexible telework program can save taxpayers hundreds of millions of dollars in annual office costs. A four-day-per-week in-office policy could add millions of dollars in office expenses.
• The Administration lacked data to support its one-size-fits-all return-to-office mandates.
• Telework benefited departments by lowering costs, reducing office space, improving recruitment and retention, without negatively impacting productivity.
• The State failed to set criteria for departments to evaluate the effectiveness of their telework programs.
• Telework improves employee retention and recruitment and maintains or improves productivity.

PECG looks forward to continuing to work with the Administration and all state government stakeholders to establish a long-term flexible telework policy that delivers cost-effective and efficient government while serving the needs of taxpayers, state departments, and state employees.

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Founded in 1962, Professional Engineers in California Government represents more than 15,000 state-employed engineers and related professionals responsible for designing and inspecting California’s infrastructure, improving air and water quality, and developing clean energy and green technology.

Jon Ortiz
Professional Engineers in California Government
+ +1 916-761-8267
jortiz@pecg.org
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