PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — First, the mask mandate ended in Oregon hospitals. Now, the pandemic-inspired reimbursement for remote work is going away.
Beginning September 1, 2023, Oregon will return to the pre-pandemic rules and won’t reimburse remote workers for commuting to the office, Gov. Tina Kotek ordered.
State employees can still work remotely with approval by their supervisors, but they won’t get reimbursed for travel to the office after that date.
Berri Leslie, who is the chief operating officer and interim director of the Department of Administrative Services, said it’s necessary the policies reflect the “evolving needs” of the workers and the public.
“Employees will continue to be allowed to work remotely as approved by their state agencies. We look forward to implementing this change and continuing to refine our policies to meet the needs of our state employees,” Leslie said in a statement.
The US Department of Health and Human Services will end the COVID public health emergency on May 11, 2023.