Sources: Mayor Adams says city employees must return to work in-person, no hybrid schedules allowed
NEW YORK -- Mayor Eric Adams says New York City workers should be leading the charge on the road to recovery from the COVID pandemic and helping the city get back where it once was.
Sources tell CBS2 the mayor sent a memo explaining they all have to come back to the office in person.
The streets and sidewalks surrounding municipal buildings citywide will soon see more crowding, as Adams rallies his troops.
"I'm trying to fill up office buildings," he said Wednesday.
After months of pressuring private sectors to have their employees work in person, he's seemingly trying to avoid hypocrisy by calling on city workers to return back.
One of the major reasons for the push is to stimulate the economy.
"How does that look that city employees are home, while I'm telling everyone else it's time to get back to work," he said.
A source says a stern memo went out to all of them that hybrid schedules will no longer be allowed.
"I'm back at work, hey, everybody should be back at work too," said city worker Roberto Gonzalez.
"Interaction, it's very important for mental health," another worker added.
"The city is never going to go back if people stay home," city worker Meredith Tranberg said.
According to recent city data, COVID cases are now deemed "stable," and the positivity rate is decreasing, now at 8.5% over a seven-day average.
But some say it's still too risky to work full time in person.
"Every time you turn around, something else is coming out," one person said.
Business analyst Carl Gould said heading back in person, though, is a way to secure your job.
"The longer you stay away from the office, the more that you are training your boss how they can live without you," he told CBS2.
He predicts a big trend is coming in the next 18 months when employers turn to outsourcing.
"If your job happens on a screen and/or it's a repetitive task, that means it could be outsourced," he said. "Inflation is going to continue to increase the cost of doing business."
The mayor added that exceptions will be made in some circumstances, but he hasn't gone into specifics just yet, nor has he said what the punishments will be if workers refuse to go back.
