South Carolina Governor McMaster Updates State Employee Remote Work Policy

South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster has issued Executive Order 2025-31 to standardize telecommuting and remote work policies for all state employees, aiming for clarity, consistency, and accountability across state agencies. The order requires each agency to have a telecommuting plan approved by the Division of State Human Resources before allowing any remote work, with agency directors holding final authority to permit or revoke telecommuting based on performance or compliance. Telecommuting is limited to a maximum of two nonconsecutive days per week, and certain high-level staff, including agency directors and their executive staff, are prohibited from telecommuting. Employees must have at least one year of satisfactory service and no recent disciplinary actions or unsatisfactory reviews to be eligible for remote work. The policy emphasizes that telecommuting should enhance cost savings and operational efficiency, not serve as a personal convenience. These new rules take effect immediately and apply to all state agencies, boards, commissions, and departments.