Remote work trial begins as employees relay what's at stake under Pillen return-to-office edict

[Omaha Steve]

The Nebraska Commission of Industrial Relations — a state labor court — is shown here at a previous hearing related to Gov. Jim Pillen’s order to end remote work. (Paul Hammel/Nebraska Examiner)

https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2024/02/26/remote-work-trial-begins-as-employees-relay-whats-at-stake-under-pillen-return-to-office-edict/

By: Cindy Gonzalez - February 26, 2024 8:21 pm

LINCOLN — Much of the appeal of working — and staying — at her state government job is the flexibility to work from home, Angie Morten of Holdrege said Monday.

“Time and money,” the program accuracy specialist with the Department of Health and Human Services said snappily when asked about benefits to her remote schedule, during the first day of a trial challenging Gov. Jim Pillen’s back-to-the-office executive order.

It’s less mileage on her car, she said. Fewer distractions, more focus. In fact, the 54-year-old said in an interview, the option to work from home, which is about 30 miles from her primary office site in Kearney, is pivotal to whether she moves on to a different employer.

For Anita Wisecup, a DHHS health program manager and Native American liaison, performing her duties full-time from her Papillion home rather than driving back and forth to Lincoln has led to a 40-pound weight loss and time to take on a part-time job.

FULL story at link above.