City of Austin employees' telework policy extended, return to office set for new year

The policy will now start January 1 of next year. It originally would have required non-executive employees to return to the office three days a week starting October 1.

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- Interim City Manager Jesús Garza delayed the timeline of a telework policy that requires city of Austin employees to work in the office at least three days a week.

The policy will now start Jan. 1 of next year. It originally would have required non-executive employees to return to the office three days a week starting Oct. 1.

The policy required all executive employees to return full time on June 5.

This comes after the union for City of Austin and Travis County employees received many calls from upset employees and a May protest against the policy.

"We understand employees must make family arrangements and this additional time provides an opportunity to make those changes," a city spokesperson said in a statement.

A letter posted on the union's website called the change "progress," adding "One of our main objections was that the city manager was rushing the development of this policy."

The letter referenced it will give the city "more time to gather and assess the data we've demanded to see." The city also noted it hopes to use the data to "arrive at a policy that is fair and reasonable and focused on our commitment to customer service."