Governor Newsom has directed California state employees to return to in-office work four days per week, marking a significant shift from post-pandemic remote work policies. While many private companies maintain flexible work arrangements, they face challenges with California’s strict labor laws, including the state’s $16.50 minimum wage (2025), overtime regulations, and mandatory reimbursement for work-related expenses. State regulators are strengthening enforcement of remote work expense reimbursements and emphasizing workplace safety and harassment prevention in distributed work environments. (CalMatters)