Philadelphia tells employees to return to their offices What about the birds, some….
The argument over in-person, hybrid, and remote employment is still continuing strong in 2024, especially among office workers. This week, nowhere was it more evident than in Philadelphia, where a new mayor has mandated that all 26,000 city workers report back to work five days a week beginning on Monday. Thousands of municipal workers had urged the city for a delay, but their dreams were dashed by a judge’s order on Friday evening. Their public employee unions have maintained that talks are necessary before making such a significant alteration to working conditions. Judge Sierra Thomas Street, however, took the side of the city authorities on Friday, arguing that relocating an office is “a matter of managerial prerogative.”
Some drew attention to the mandate for working parents and its poor timing. District Council 47 president April Gigetts stated, “People are scrambling, trying to find childcare, trying to find summer camps, on July 15th, in the middle of the summer.” Workers in the city discussed personal health challenges and family caregiving obligations that make working on-site unfeasible. They gave testimony about how their hybrid jobs have enabled them to support the city and their families, transporting kids to doctor’s appointments and being there for the elderly.
mandate for working parents. “July 15th, in the middle of the summer, people are scrambling, trying to find childcare, trying to find summer camps,” said April Gigetts, president of District Council 47. City workers spoke about personal health struggles and family caregiving responsibilities that make working on-site untenable. They testified about how hybrid work has allowed them to serve the city while also serving their families, taking children to medical appointments and being present for elders.
The unions pushed for a pause until their grievances are formally heard, a process that is still ongoing. But Parker remained unmoved. At a press conference Wednesday, the mayor said her goal was “to create a more visible and accessible government, a city government that our residents can see, touch and feel.” According to the city, about 80% of its employees already work on-site, full-time.
What’s unfolding in Philadelphia is just the latest flashpoint in the debate over where and how people work best. Four years after the pandemic shuttered offices practically overnight, the divide seems to be widening, as employers take divergent paths. While some companies have permanently settled into hybrid schedules, a growing number of others, including Wall Street banks, Boeing, and UPS, have asked employees to be on-site every day. Increasingly, leaders are raising equity and solidarity in making their case. “By adopting this approach, we recognize the ongoing commitment of our operators and other Users who have and continue to work in-person in our facilities five days and sometimes more,” UPS told employees in a memo sent earlier this year.