Hundreds of Virginia state employees have quit in the past two months since Gov. Glenn Youngkin announced a new telecommuting policy. New policy pushes employees back to the office after coronavirus-related workplace closures led to work-from-home opportunities Many government employees chose to quit because they missed the flexibility and benefits of working from home. More than 300 state employees have resigned since the policy was announced, WRIC-TV reported. ALEXANDRIA, VA – FEBRUARY 3: Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin leads a roundtable meeting with parents and two of those secretaries at a Safeway grocery store in Alexandria, Virginia on February 3, 2022. (Photo by Robb Hill for The Washington Post via Getty (Photo by Robb Hill for The Washington Post via Getty Images/Getty Images) The back-to-office plan, originally announced on May 5, requires employees who wish to continue working from home to go through an extensive approval process that includes a signature from Youngkin’s chief of staff. VA GOV. YOUNGKIN ON FULFILLING CAMPAIGN PROMISES: ‘PARENTS MATTER’ “Government employees who asked to continue telecommuting had to go through a three-tier approval system. For those seeking one day a week, they had to get approval from their supervisor. Those who wanted two days a week had to get approval from the department them For three or more days, the governor’s chief of staff had to sign it,” the Washington Times reported. It took effect July 5. The resignations include 183 from the Virginia Department of Transportation, 28 of whom specifically cited telecommuting opportunities as their reason for leaving. Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin leads a roundtable meeting with parents and two of those secretaries at a Safeway grocery store in Alexandria, Virginia on February 3, 2022. (Photo by Robb Hill for The Washington Post via Getty Images) (Photo by (Robb Hill for The Washington Post via Getty Images/Getty Images) The Virginia Department of Health had 78 resignations, while 37 employees resigned from the Virginia Employment Commission, seven resigned from the Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development and six resigned from the Virginia Department of Emergency Management, according to the report. While more than 21,000 government employees are eligible to telecommute, WRIC reports that many government employees are not eligible to work from home, including police, corrections officers and health care workers. VIRGINIA GOV. YOUNGIN PUSHES GAS TAX BREAK AS PRICES RISE ‘STEAL AMERICA’S INCOME’ Critics of Youngkin’s policy claim it unnecessarily drives away good workers. “Despite our best efforts, Youngkin refused to reconsider his devastating executive action and pressed forward regardless of long-standing state policies on telecommuting,” Virginia Democratic Sen. Ghazala Hashmi said in a tweet shortly after the policy was implemented. . Virginia Gov. Glenn Young leads a roundtable meeting with parents and two of those secretaries at a Safeway grocery store in Alexandria, Virginia, on February 3, 2022. (Photo by Robb Hill for The Washington Post via Getty Images) ( Getty Images) “Our Commonwealth is losing talent, skills and institutional knowledge. Virginians are suffering,” he added. GET THE FOX BUSINESS ON THE GO BY CLICKING HERE Despite our best efforts, Youngkin refused to reconsider his disastrous executive action and pressed forward regardless of longstanding state policies on telecommuting. Our Commonwealth is losing talent, skills and institutional knowledge. Virginians are suffering.https://t.co/P43568kBuC — Ghazala Hashmi (@SenatorHashmi) July 9, 2022 Youngkin was elected mayor of Richmond last year and made growing jobs in the state a pillar of his campaign.
