Updated at 2:54 p.m.
The Vermont Supreme Court ruled Friday that Gov. Phil Scott has the authority to order most state employees to return to their offices, a decision that seems likely to deepen the divide between the governor and state workers who prefer remote work.
The court unanimously found that the Scott administration was within its rights as the manager of the workforce to order employees to begin reporting to the office at least three days a week.
The leader of the union representing most state workers, the Vermont State Employees’ Association, blasted Scott over the issue.
“My initial reaction is there’s going to be a lot of requests for Amanda Janoo signs this afternoon,” said Steve Howard, the union’s executive director. He was referring to Scott’s Democratic opponent for governor. Howard said members of the union, which represents about 6,000 public sector workers, will “show up in droves” at the polls in November.
“This is an affordability issue,” Howard said. “The reason people are living an hour and half away from Waterbury and Burlington is because there is no place they can afford in Waterbury or Burlington after 10 years of Scott-enomics.”
Most state workers were ordered to work from home during the pandemic. Starting in May 2021, they were required to request the right to work from home. By 2023, 31 percent of the 3,100 workers eligible for remote work reported they worked from home at least four days a week.
In August 2025, Scott ordered them all to return to an office setting at least three days a week, arguing that would improve communication and collaboration between teams and service to residents. Exemptions were still allowed for special circumstances. He questioned why office workers should be allowed to work from home while snow plow drivers, nurses and corrections officers couldn’t.
Workers who in some cases lived hours away from their offices pushed back, arguing that remote work improves their job performance and satisfaction, and saves them time and money commuting.
The union fought the move, arguing that labor laws required the administration to negotiate the change in work conditions.
The three-member Vermont Labor Relations Board sided with the union, finding that the governor didn’t have the power to unilaterally change teleworking agreements struck between workers and agency heads.
But the highest court said the board’s reading of that policy was too literal and
made “little practical or legal sense.” The court noted that the state’s teleworking policy was always something managers could revoke at their “sole discretion.” As the head of the executive branch, Scott had that discretion, as well, the court found.
Scott’s decision was a political one that reflected poor management, Howard said.
“Even if the Supreme Court says he can, the governor is working with a model that’s at least 10 years old,” Howard said. “The labor market has changed, and the governor hasn’t changed with it.”
Scott’s office sent a comment from the governor about this story shortly after it was published. The governor expressed satisfaction with the court’s decision.
“Vermont is fortunate to have so many state employees who care deeply about public service,” he said. “I believe this policy, and the greater collaboration, creativity, team building and access it creates, is both in the best interest of our state workforce, and importantly, the Vermonters we serve.”
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