Rough Seas at City Hall Over Working Remotely

The debate over working from home vs working at the office appears to have really heated up in San Diego in recent days.

The spark to fuel this latest found of debate was the story by the SD Union Tribune that was posted last weekend. 

The headline on the story read: “Bon voyage: Top San Diego lawyer collecting full pay during 4-month global cruise.”

The story is that the executive city attorney of San Diego is working from home for four months, except that her “home” is a cruise ship. She is reported to have been given the okay to work remotely while on the long voyage and also collecting her full-time salary of 300 K a year and benefits, including vacation.

Reaction came quickly as readers of the newspaper wrote letters to the editor. One writer asking, “This is how our tax money is being spent?” Another writer asking, “Where do I sign up?”

This story in the U-T came out just two days before the big budget cutbacks at City Hall announced this week by the Mayor.  

While the city of San Diego has a policy dictating how employees can apply to work remotely on a case-by-case basis, this case is one that might lead to the policy being sent out to sea.

(Photo Getty Images)