Governor Gavin Newsom recently told state employees they must come back to work in-person at least two days a week. Until now, 240,000 of them have been working from home full-time. Keep in mind that the stay-at-home order was lifted on June 15, 2021. That was nearly three years ago.
Public servants are supposed to work for the government and for citizens.
But what ABC7 News found is that Oakland seems to be keeping the public out. Keep the public out by keeping some offices locked.
Susan Sanchez, executive assistant to the city council, gave us the answer we were not anticipating.
She blames it, in part, on the long-term anxiety left behind by COVID.
MORE: 5 days in the office: SF small businesses say it may be the only way they can survive
“That made people not want to be in close proximity, in a closed environment. I think that there are so many sicknesses beyond COVID like the respiratory problems and so forth that everybody is nervous,” explained Sanchez who has been working there for 23 years.