The California Department of Education headquarters in Sacramento has been evacuated due to a bedbug infestation, prompting employees to work remotely indefinitely.
Several floors of the agency's building at N and 15th streets were affected. Officials confirmed the presence of the insects and directed all staff to work remotely until the building can be fully inspected by the Department of General Services and its pest control specialist. This decision was made "out of an abundance of caution, and due to additional reports of insects in the building."
This is not the first time the department's headquarters has dealt with bedbugs. An incident earlier this month also led to employees being sent home. At that time, department officials stated that after a thorough review, no bedbug activity was detected in the initially identified areas, and affected and surrounding workstations were slated for deep cleaning.
Bedbugs are described by the CDC as small, flat insects that hide in dark crevices and feed on the blood of people and animals. The current infestation comes in the context of Governor Gavin Newsom's push for state employees to return to the office, with a mandate for most to work in person four days a week. However, the Department of Education employees are currently only required to be in the office two days per week, and this mandate does not apply to them.
Anica Walls, president of SEIU Local 1000, emphasized that employee safety is paramount. "State workers should never be forced to work in unsafe or unsanitary conditions," Walls stated. "Our members’ health and safety are our number one priority, and we expect the State to treat this issue with the urgency it requires."