On Friday, March 28, 2025, the Municipal Executives Association (MEA) sent a formal demand to meet and confer letter to the Department of Human Resources’ Employee Relations Division (ERD), in response to Mayor Daniel Lurie’s directive requiring employees to return to the office (RTO) four (4) days per week starting April 28, 2025, and later, significant changes to existing telecommuting arrangements for represented employees.
MEA fully supports Mayor Lurie’s vision to reenergize San Francisco, however, it is the manner in which this RTO directive as well as changes to previously approved telecommuting agreements were imposed—marked by a disregard for established labor commitments and a lack of a collaborative relationship. MEA recognizes that city managers routinely work beyond traditional office hours, responding to urgent issues, supporting departmental functions, and leading teams under constant pressure.
Our members are all in even though telecommuting has proven to be an essential tool to help dedicated public servants manage the demands of their positions while enabling sustained focus, improving retention, and prevents burnout among a workforce on which the City heavily relies.
In April, MEA met and conferred and sent a proposed agreement to ERD, to address concerns with the return to the office four days per week starting April 28, 2025. Key proposals were made to address a number of critical issues, including to delay the implementation of the RTO and to provide exceptions for employees at any worksite that had workspace limitations or unaddressed health/safety issues.
Highlights to our April 21, 2025, agreement include:
- The Mayor’s RTO mandated April 28, 20025 target date has moved and will go into effect August 18, 2025
- Departments with workspace limitations have the ability to further delay implementation;
- Clarification that additional remote work can be approved for employees with approved reasonable accommodations or Family Friendly Work Ordinance (FFWO);
- Denied FFWO requests may be appealed to the Human Resources Director
MEA members are committed and professional managers whose work extends well beyond a desk. Enabled by technology and driven by their mission, they meet their responsibilities wherever they are in delivering results
MEA affirms its support for Mayor Lurie’s vision to reinvigorate San Francisco’s economy, promote a vibrant downtown, support small business recovery, and reassert the City’s leadership as a center of innovation and culture. MEA-represented managers are committed to playing a constructive role in that effort. However, we believe successful revitalization requires collaboration, and MEA remains committed to protecting our members’ interests.