Timeline: Complete coverage of Nebraska workers battle against Gov. Pillen's return-to-office mandate

Gov. Pillen ordered state employees to return to the office Jan. 2, ending remote or hybrid work options with few exceptions and drawing the ire of the state employees union.

In the days since Gov. Jim Pillen ordered state employees to return to the office full time in January, dozens of workers have raised concerns over the order and its impact.

The Nebraska Association of Public Employees, which represents more 8,000 state workers, sent a formal demand to Dan Birdsall, the governor's chief negotiator on Monday.

Nebraska's public employee union renewed its demand to bargain Wednesday, pointing to survey data that suggests nearly 1,400 workers could leave state government over Gov. Jim Pillen's return-to-office mandate.

A Nebraska panel heard arguments Thursday about whether to let Gov. Jim Pillen's return-to-office order take effect for state employees on Jan. 2. Yet it made no immediate decision.

The Nebraska Commission of Industrial Relations said it would keep the status quo for union employees in place until a final determination in the matter is reached later.

The Nebraska Association of Public Employees has filed a petition asking a judge to enforce a previous order providing temporary relief from Gov. Pillen's return-to-office mandate.

Nebraska's commission responsible for settling labor disputes indicated Wednesday that some state departments violated the commission's prior order to pause return-to-office directives for state union members.

While Nebraska's executive branch argued Friday that it didn't intentionally disregard an order to pause return-to-office directives for state employees, union officials said some agencies are still in violation.

Nebraska's tribunal responsible for settling public labor disputes heard hours of testimony Monday amid the long-awaited trial over Gov. Jim Pillen return-to-office order.