Youngkin administration misses self imposed deadline for processing telework requests

RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin’s administration missed a self-imposed Friday deadline for evaluating state employees’ telework requests under a new policy that aims to get most workers back in the office this summer.

The policy, which was rolled out last month, required senior administration officials to sign off on employee requests to work remotely. Youngkin’s chief of staff told executive branch agency heads in an email Friday that the administration needed a few more days beyond its initial June 3 deadline to wrap up those reviews, The Washington Post reported.

“Every effort is being made to process the requests in a timely manner and anticipate completion of this step in the process by early next week,” chief of staff Jeff Goettman wrote in the email, which was provided to the Post.

Youngkin spokeswoman Macaulay Porter said some requests weren’t received in a timely manner, leading to delays in evaluating them.

Youngkin campaigned on a promise to make state government more efficient and customer-focused, and his administration has pitched the revised telework policy as part of that.

But the move has rankled some workers, and some Democrats in the General Assembly have urged the governor to reverse the policy, warning it would lead to attrition.

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