Lincoln – The Nebraska state employees’ union delivered more than 1,600 petitions to Gov. Pete Ricketts’ office last Wednesday demanding that he give all state workers the option to work from home if their jobs allow it.

The petitions also call for an extra $2 an hour in “hazard pay” for those who have to work in-person during the coronavirus pandemic. The petition was a follow-up to a letter the union sent to Ricketts earlier this month with the same demands.

“State employees are concerned and they are anxious,” said Justin Hubly, executive director of the Nebraska Association of Public Employees. “We need the governor to take action to ensure their safety.”

Hubly said the only safeguard in some state offices is a bottle of hand sanitizer. The union has also questioned why call-center employees aren’t allowed to do their jobs from home.

Ricketts, a Republican, has said it isn’t possible for all state employees to work from home because the state still has to provide essential services. He has said employees with concerns about their work environment should talk to their managers.

“We’ve got a lot of people who are working very, very hard in very trying circumstances,” Ricketts told reporters last Wednesday when asked about the petitions. “These folks are doing their part, and we’ve got to do our part.”