World news – United States – The outbreak of the Corona virus, and it is disturbing for state employees to return to the workplace

ALBANY – State government employees have been called back to the workplace frequently in recent weeks, even as New York sees an increase in some areas of the rate of people who test positive for COVID-19.

This increase, which is concentrated in some areas in hotspots, prompted the government. Andrew M.. Como to impose 10 p. M. The curfew in bars, restaurants and gyms took effect on Friday. The governor has also issued a directive requiring indoor and outdoor gatherings to be limited to a maximum of 10 people until further notice, including Thanksgiving meals..

But some workers leaders question why so many state employees are directed to return to the workplace if the country and the nation seem to be in the midst of a second wave of the Coronavirus.

In early October, New York’s largest public employee union struck an agreement with the Como administration to extend telework provisions until 2021. This is the third extension of the agreement that allows state employees to request home work arrangements until January. 1.

On Thursday, in a statement to local leaders of the Public Employees’ Federation, the state’s second largest labor union, President Wayne Spence urged union officials to request immediate worker management meetings « to discuss health and safety issues related to returning – to action plans. ».

“I understand the confusion that arises when the governor issues statements that conflict with the actions of your agency,” Spence wrote in the memo.. «  Many PEF members are very important and have continued to enter the workplace every day throughout this pandemic, despite the health risks to them and their loved ones.. So why pour gasoline on the fire? Why are you forcing more members to take this risk and return to the agency premises?.

In May, figures provided by Como’s office to the Times Union indicated that in 59 agencies, departments, offices and committees, there were more than 36,000 people working remotely out of the nearly 120,000 employees of state government..

A spokesperson for the Civil Servants Association, the state’s largest labor union, did not immediately respond to a request for comment. A spokesman for the Budget Division, which tracks the number of state government employees who work remotely, did not immediately respond to a request for comment..

The telework agreement allows state employees to work from home for up to five days a week based on the approval of the employee’s supervisors and the Human Resources Department.

Brendan J.. Lyons is managing editor for Times Union newspaper who oversees the Capitol Office and Investigations. Lyons joined the Times Union in 1998 as a crime reporter before being appointed to the investigations team. He became Editor for the Investigations Team in 2013 and began overseeing the Capitol Office in 2017. You can reach him at blyons @ Timesunion. com or (518) 454-5547.

New York, Andrew Cuomo