On June 12, 2026, SEIU Local 1000 held a meet-and-confer session with the Agricultural Labor Relations Board (ALRB) regarding the Return-to-Office (RTO) mandate, which will take effect on July 1, 2026. During the meeting, the team confirmed that medical exemptions are not available; employees must go through the reasonable accommodations process. ALRB indicated that they would consider other requests on a case-by-case basis.
The team clarified that no workgroups are exempt from the RTO based on the nature of their work. ALRB is not tracking or measuring the impact of the RTO on collaboration, cohesion, or team building. Furthermore, they stated that they will not revert the mandate even if it is determined that the RTO negatively impacts the department’s productivity, staffing, or morale.
All employees are required to work four days in the office, regardless of their time base or alternative workweek schedule. Employees can discuss their teleworking days with their supervisors, but the final decision remains at the discretion of the supervisor and manager. The department is still deliberating on how to handle any missed in-office days; there has not been a clear answer provided to SEIU.
Employees will need to bring their laptops when coming to the office. SEIU inquired about potential changes to the workflow as employees return to the office. The department responded that there might be adjustments, such as holding meetings with supervisors in person. However, SEIU specified that they were referring to changes in the workflow and workload, not just the format of meetings. The department acknowledged that the workload could indeed be affected. In the event of an illness outbreak in the office, the department plans to adhere to the Injury and Illness Prevention Program (IIPP). The department’s position is that employees should follow the reasonable accommodation (RA) process to request any accommodations or exemptions from the four-day in-office requirement and undergo an ergonomic evaluation if necessary.
ALRB confirmed they intend to move forward with 4 days in office, per the Governor’s mandate.
In response to the RTO mandate and what is happening at the bargaining table, SEIU Local 1000 is planning a Holding the Line Rally at the Capitol to make our voices heard. Please join us on July 1 as we continue fighting for Telework that Works and the contract state workers deserve.