State of Ohio return to office policy5 days a week.
Executive Order 2025-01D, signed Feb 4, 2025, required permanent employees of agencies, boards and commissions under the governor to work from their assigned office rather than remotely, resuming five-day in-office weeks by March 17, 2025. Narrow exceptions need certification to the Department of Administrative Services.
Days in the office
- Policy
- Full-time in the office
- In effect since
- March 17, 2025
- Announced
- February 4, 2025
- Industry
- Government
- Headquarters
- Columbus, OH
- Checked
- Confirmed October 2026
What the policy says.
- About 44,000 employees are under the governor's authority; DAS said 65% never worked remotely. The order affected about 15,400 employees who had been hybrid or fully remote.
- Exceptions: no reasonable in-office work is possible (e.g., office space was eliminated) or other compelling situations certified to the DAS director. The order does not override collective bargaining contracts.
- The state cited about $15 million a year in savings from reduced real estate.
- The Ohio Civil Service Employees Association filed grievances over the order.
How State of Ohio's policy changed since 2020.
March 9, 2020
State of emergency declared; certain employees allowed to work remotely.
June 2021
Emergency lifted; many remote workers returned full time or to hybrid schedules.
February 4, 2025
DeWine signed EO 2025-01D ordering a return to in-office work.
March 17, 2025
Deadline for affected employees to return to five-day in-office weeks.
Sources and how sure we are.
ConfirmedFrom the company, or reported the same way by several major outlets.AP reported five-day weeks, but the Columbus Dispatch noted that the order's text says employees must 'routinely' work from their assigned office instead of naming a day count. No change since March 2025 has been reported.
- 1.Ohio governor orders state employees back to in-office work 5 days a week starting in March FOX19 / Associated Press, February 4, 2025
- 2.Gov. DeWine orders state employees to return to the office Spectrum News 1, February 4, 2025
- 3.State of Ohio Employees to Return to the Office by March 17, 2025 Pickens Schwartz & Elder (law firm alert), February 2025
Days a week are for most US corporate employees; some teams, roles and countries differ. Spot something out of date? Email hello@forgot.dev.
Other government employers, side by side.
- US Federal Government (civilian workforce)5 days a week, since January 20255
- City of Chicago4 days a week, since January 20264
- State of California (state workers)4 days a week, since July 20264
- City of New York3 days a week, since June 20233
- City of Los Angeles2 days a week2
- State of Arizona (state employees)Each team decidesTeam decides
- State of Florida (state employees)Each team decidesTeam decides
- State of New York (state workforce)Each team decidesTeam decides
Working to an office rule? Plan the days that matter.
The hybrid work schedule template builds a week of office days for your team: anchor days everyone shares, the rest spread so the office never overflows. Then Forgot keeps office days, remote days and vacations on one calendar, so nobody commutes in for a planning day half the team is away for.
Questions
Does State of Ohio require employees to return to the office?
Yes. Executive Order 2025-01D, signed Feb 4, 2025, required permanent employees of agencies, boards and commissions under the governor to work from their assigned office rather than remotely, resuming five-day in-office weeks by March 17, 2025. Narrow exceptions need certification to the Department of Administrative Services.
How many days a week does State of Ohio require in the office?
5 days a week in the office, as of October 2026.
When did State of Ohio's current office policy start?
It took effect in March 2025, after being announced in February 2025.
What was the latest change to State of Ohio's office policy?
March 2025: Deadline for affected employees to return to five-day in-office weeks.