Governor McMaster: Telework Does Not Work

In 2020, COVID lockdowns sent workers home. This changed the landscape of jobs in the United States. Initially, this was believed to be permanent. During COVID, telecommuting and remote work became the norm. Five years later, some employers, public and private, still allow workers to telecommute or work remote. According to the U.S. Office of Personal Management, “telecommuting” refers to working both onsite and at an alternative site. On the other hand, “remote work” does not require employers to report onsite to the office. To close this chapter on remote and hybrid work patterns for South Carolina’s state employees, South Carolina’s Governor Henry McMaster recently released Executive Order 2025-31.  

What is Executive Order 2025-31? 

Issued on September 11, 2025, this executive action creates a stricter and clearer telecommuting policy for state employees, directing the South Carolina State Human Resources (HR) division of ADMIN to implement new policies. All state agencies reporting to State HR must comply with this. Highlights of this order include: 

• Plans: State agencies must have plans for telecommuting approved by State HR before they can be implemented.  

• Limits on remote days: Eligible employees may telecommute for two days maximum per work week. These cannot be consecutive days, including Monday and Tuesday, Thursday and Friday, or Friday followed by the next Monday. 

• Employees: Telecommuting does not apply to all employees. Only State Agency Directors can decide if an employee has the option to telecommute. An employee must work for at least one satisfactory year with an agency before being eligible to telecommute. An employee is not permitted to telecommute if they have recent unsatisfactory performance reviews or disciplinary action. 

• Directors: Telecommuting is not allowed for Agency Directors or members of their executive leadership team. This includes Deputy Directors, Division Directors, and managers or supervisors who report either directly to the Agency Director or to someone who reports to the Agency Director. 

• Revocation: Agencies will lose the ability to allow employees to telecommute if agencies do not comply with their approved plan or the quality of work decreases. At any point, agencies may also take away an employee’s ability to telecommute. 

Why Did Governor McMaster Issue This? 

Many state employees have questioned many aspects of these new remote work policies. However, this order by Governor McMaster comes after a comprehensive review from the beginning of this year that was directed by Governor McMaster. After the completion of this review, it was determined that all state agencies should operate under the same rules.  

According to Governor McMaster, “It’s important that we have clear, consistent, and accountable policies on telecommuting and remote work for state employees across the board. The law requires these policies be designed to achieve cost savings and greater efficiencies in the operation of state government. They are not designed to suit a desired lifestyle or a personal preference.” 

A National Trend 

Increasingly, both the public and the private sector are moving to bring workers back to the office, and more and more states are passing and introducing laws on telecommuting. For instance, as of July 1, 2025, California’s governor requires state employees to work in person 4 days per work week. As of March 17, 2025, Ohio’s governor is requiring state employees to work every day of the work week in person. 

Other states’ measures are pending. A different bill in New Jersey was referred to the Senate State Government, Wagering, Tourism & Historic Preservation Committee, allowing all state employees in “career, senior executive, and unclassified services” to work remotely. Its prospects seem slim. 

In addition to state governments requiring state employees to return to the office, private companies are doing the same, such as Amazon and Dell. There are varying reasons for requiring employees to return full time, including the cost of office space and the decline in productivity due to remote work.  

Conclusion 

The creation of stricter telecommuting laws has become a national trend for private and public agencies in a post-pandemic world. Governor McMaster’s executive order ensures that telework is not abused and all state agencies are held to the same standards. There is pushback for individuals who are looking for more opportunities to work remotely, but with the issuance of this order, state government may not be a viable option for their services.