The Abridged version:
- Tony Thurmond, state superintendent of public instruction, sent an urgent message out to employees on Tuesday afternoon urging employees to work remotely due to “insects in the building.”
- Representatives of SEIU Local 1000, which has union members who work in the building, confirmed that there were reports of bedbugs.
- In 2024, the same building had another bedbug infestation, which also prompted employees to work remotely.
A suspected bedbug infestation has forced most of the employees at the California Department of Education headquarters in Downtown Sacramento to work from home.
On Tuesday afternoon, Tony Thurmond, the State Superintendent of Public Instruction, sent an urgent message out to employees working at the department’s headquarters at 1430 N St., according to an email obtained by Abridged.
“Out of an abundance of caution, and due to additional reports of insects in the building, all staff are directed to work remotely effective immediately,” Thurmond said in the email.
The memo states that the building is being inspected by the Department of General Services and their pest control specialist.
Representatives of Service Employees International Union Local 1000, which has union members who work in the building, confirmed that there were reports of bedbugs.
“State workers should never be forced to work in unsafe or unsanitary conditions,” said Anica Walls, president of SEIU Local 1000, in a written statement.
“Our members’ health and safety are our number one priority and we expect the state to treat this issue with the urgency it requires,” Walls said.
Employees from all floors of the department headquarters building have been instructed to work from home, according to Scott Roark, spokesperson for the California Department of Education.
Representatives from the department did not respond to questions about how long the remote work order would last and the scope of the bedbug outbreak.
“We are actively coordinating follow-up inspections and remediation efforts and will provide updates as soon as additional information becomes available,” Roark said in a written statement.
The order arrives as a contentious “return to office” mandate is set to go into effect in just seven days. Gov. Gavin Newsom signed an executive order earlier this year requiring most state workers to return to working in person four days a week, starting July 1.
Workers at the California Department of Education, however, are exempt from the order. Thurmond previously said he is committed to the current two-days-per-week schedule until his term ends in January 2027.
The California Department of Education had another bedbug outbreak in 2024. Employees were then told to work remotely while the area was sealed and treated for bedbugs, KCRA reported at the time.
Felicia Alvarez is a reporter at Abridged covering accountability. She’s called Sacramento home since 2015 and has reported on government, healthcare and breaking news topics for both local and national news outlets.