Climate change is stopping California lawyers from going back to work Public-sector unions in California are leveraging the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) to block government mandates requiring state employees to return to the office. Lawyers for the state argue that increased commutes from a return-to-office policy will lead to significant air pollution, a claim that, while seemingly absurd, is enabled by the broad scope of CEQA. This situation exposes flaws in California’s legal framework, where environmental laws can be used to obstruct government operations, and highlights the legislature’s tendency to create exemptions for specific projects rather than overhauling the system.

• California public-sector unions are using the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) to avoid returning to the office.
• The state’s lawyers argue that a four-day return-to-office mandate will increase commutes and air pollution.
• CEQA allows lawsuits to block government actions with potential environmental consequences, often leading to lengthy legal battles.
• Governor Gavin Newsom’s efforts to increase in-office workdays have faced opposition and delays from unions.
• Critics argue that the legislature should exempt labor decisions from CEQA, similar to exemptions made for other projects.
• The situation highlights how broad environmental laws can be “weaponized” to obstruct government mandates.