US Edition
California Could Save $225 Million a Year by Letting State Employees Work Remote, State Auditor Says
The audit found teleworking three days weekly could reduce office space by 30% and save California up to $225 million annually, challenging the governor's return-to-office policy.
- On August 12, 2025, the California state auditor released a report finding that allowing state workers to telework three or more days weekly could save up to $225 million annually and reduce office space by 30%.
- In May 2024, Assemblyman Josh Hoover requested an audit that reviewed seven major state-owned buildings used by 19 different departments, totaling approximately 5.5 million square feet, following Gov. Newsom’s initial directives for employees to return to the office.
- The report recommended lawmakers require departments to identify telework-eligible positions and develop guidance to evaluate telework program effectiveness, while noting that telework boosts recruitment and work-life balance.
- Ted Toppin of the engineers' union praised flexible telework for benefiting taxpayers and employees, while Newsom's spokesperson Tara Gallegos criticized the auditor’s conclusions, saying the review was not based on scientific methods and did not fully represent the state workforce or the advantages of in-person work.
- The audit's findings challenge Newsom's March 2025 mandate requiring four in-office days weekly, suggesting that a one-size-fits-all approach may limit cost savings and telework benefits for state agencies and employees.
14 Articles
14 Articles
Newsom Disputes Audit That Found Remote Work Could Save California $225 Million a Year
Gov. Gavin Newsom disagrees with a state audit released Aug. 12 that found California could save up to $225 million each year by allowing state workers to work remotely. State workers have slowly returned to the office after teleworking during the pandemic. In March, Newsom directed the employees to spend at least four days a week at the office. The governor said returning employees to the office would result in better and quicker services for r…
California could save $225 million a year by letting state employees work remote, state auditor says
Gov. Gavin Newsom appears to have arbitrarily ordered workers back to the office without using specific rationale such as data on worker productivity, according to a newly released report from the California state auditor’s office.
Associated Press News
Auditor: California could save $225 million a year by letting state employees work remote
Gov. Gavin Newsom appears to have arbitrarily ordered workers back to the office without using specific rationale such as data on worker productivity, according to a newly released report from the California state auditor’s office.
Auditor: California Could Save $225 Million a Year by Letting State Employees Work Remote
Gov. Gavin Newsom appears to have arbitrarily ordered workers back to the office without using specific rationale such as data on worker productivity, according to a newly released report from the California state auditor’s office.
State audit finds Calif. could save $225 million without return-to-office mandate
A new state audit found that California could save hundreds of millions of dollars annually by not forcing public employees to return to the office. The California State Auditor found that the state could save up to $225 million per year by reducing state-owned and leased office space without requiring employees to return to the office four days a week. The backstory: Gov. Gavin Newsom ordered thousands of state workers to return to their offi…
Coverage Details
Bias Distribution
- 57% of the sources lean Left
Factuality
To view factuality data please Upgrade to Premium
