Despite not being a popular fringe benefit in most public sector agencies, the COVID-19 pandemic has required government employers to seriously rethink employee telecommuting. The Cosumnes Community Services District (CSD) was no exception.

In March, with the growing spread of the novel coronavirus and the rapid changing of circumstances seemingly occurring on an hourly basis, employers were carefully watching to see the impacts the virus may have on the workforce. On March 19, 2020 Governor Newsome issued an Executive Order and Public Health order directing all Californians to stay home except to go to work at an essential job or obtain essential services.

Prior to the March 19th order, CSD executive staff were carefully monitoring the rapid situation with COVID-19. Three days earlier, on March 16th, the General Manager issued an Executive Directive allowing staff to telecommute, where appropriate and feasible, based on their job assignment. Prior to that directive going out to employees, Human Resources and the CSD’s legal counsel worked out the parameters of a telecommute program, essentially building it from scratch. This included a request form for employees to complete, an approval routing process, and certain guidelines that needed to be met prior to the employee being able to telecommute. Additionally, a list of designated “essential” employees was identified and exempted from the telecommute process. Presently there are over 100 employees telecommuting, and all full-time CSD staff have been able to continue working without any reduction in hours. Best of all, the public continues to be served in new and creative ways by CSD staff.

Through quick action, and the support of the District’s executive staff, telecommuting has been widely successful at the CSD. While some hiccups remain, as in technical I.T. issues that come up from time to time, the CSD is constantly looking at ways to boost the effectiveness of the telecommute process. Although it remains to be seen when the environment will change and everyone is back in the office full time, this three-month experience of over 100 public sector employees telecommuting may force public agencies to rethink this option going forward.