Coral Gables municipal employees working under hybrid arrangements will be required to return to full-time, in-person work beginning next Monday, June 9, following a directive Mayor Vince Lago announced during the city commission’s May 20 meeting.
Coral Gables joins the federal government, the State of Florida, Miami-Dade County, and other local municipalities in phasing out hybrid work policies adopted during the pandemic. Mayor Lago, citing workplace accountability and public service responsiveness, thanked Acting City Manager Joe Gomez for initiating the change.
“It’s something we’ve been working on for the last month,” Lago said. “Thank you for taking action and bringing everybody back to work. It’s about time.”
Although the announcement came near the end of a 12-hour meeting and was not discussed in detail, it drew immediate concern from at least one of the mayor’s colleagues. Commissioner Melissa Castro said she had received numerous letters and emails from employees opposing the decision.
When she asked the mayor whether deferring a full discussion on the item would delay the implementation date, Lago replied it would not.
“A decision has been made,” he said. “We are moving forward with coming back to work. Every other municipality and the private sector is coming back. We need to have people here in the office working on behalf of the commission and residents.”
Castro, who has made employee morale a focus of her term, presented a dozen pieces of correspondence she said were submitted by city employees, though all were anonymous. She said employees were reluctant to identify themselves due to fear of retaliation.
“They are scared and know that the mayor is known for retaliating against those who oppose him. So they hide,” she said.
One letter read, “The option to work in a hybrid model has not only helped me stay productive, but it has also made a real difference in my life. It’s allowed me to be more present for my family, to care for my mental and physical health, and to approach each workday with greater focus and energy. I know I’m not alone in feeling this way.”
Another employee wrote, “Hybrid work has allowed me to give my best to this city while also showing up for my family… to care for a sick child without panic, to simply eat dinner together without the stress of a long commute. It made me a better parent and a better employee.”
Several letters also criticized the manner in which the policy change was introduced. “What was initially presented as a ‘discussion’ item on the commission agenda turned out to be a pre-decided matter, violating the spirit of transparency and employee inclusion,” one letter stated. It went on to describe the decision as demoralizing and warned of increased burnout and turnover.
City employees were formally notified of the decision on May 16 in an internal email from Gomez, who cited a broader national shift toward in-person work.
“After careful consideration, the city will be transitioning away from hybrid work schedules and returning to a full in-person work model,” Gomez wrote. “The consistent rationale across these entities is clear: collaboration, efficiency, and culture thrive when teams work together in person.”
Gomez added that the move supports “responsive, accountable, and collaborative public service,” and reinforces cross-departmental teamwork, continuity of service, and professional development.
The Gazette requested data from the city on how many employees were working hybrid schedules. In response, Communications Director Martha Pantin wrote that the number varied by department and was based on operational needs and leadership discretion. Not all employees or departments were eligible to participate in the two-day work-from-home model, she added.
Asked whether the city had received complaints about reduced in-person staffing, Pantin said, “While the city did not receive formal complaints specifically about hybrid work, there was a general recognition that in-person staffing supports greater responsiveness and availability for residents. Maintaining a strong, in-person presence across departments is fundamental to our mission of serving the public.”
As of this writing, there are no indications the city plans to revisit the policy prior to its June 9 implementation.
This Post Has 3 Comments
The reality of RTO is here. The remote then switching to Hybrid was a way to slowly get people back into the offices. That is the “corporate” line. In my case, I have been working remote since the year 2000, so you can say I am the poster child. But that was not because of anything, it was because my position did not required to be in an office. Sales people are in the same category. You need to visit customers to sell and close the deal. So my job was when needed, to jump on a plane and go visit customers all over the world. Nice gig for my colleagues and I.
The benefits for the employee are obvious: 1) save time in comunting, 2) save gas, 3) save on food, 4) start work at 7am and work until 6pm or later adding to productivity. For the employer, they have office space empty for which they are paying rent. They might save on utilities, and they will gain in productivity.
The argument for many managers is that “it is difficult to manage a remote workforce. Wrong! All you need is to 1) measure accomplishments, 2) set the expectation, 3) communicate with each and everyone. In a hybrid, I would take one day to get everyone in the office for a team meeting and perhaps provide lunch.
Been doing this for 25 years and it works.
Several comments come to mind. The Mayor “ thanked the Acting City Manager for initiating the change.” This is the Mayor who talks about transparency, does he really think that our employees and our residents believe that he had nothing to do with Gomez’s decision? How come there was a discussion item about the issue on the Final Agenda for May 20? Since the decision had been already made, minus any public discussion why was it on the agenda? Is this one of the vindictive moves by the “all powerful new majority” because it had been instituted by a previous administration? How come Lago didn’t want to hear what the employees had to say? Anonymous letters? Why would any employee sign his/her name on anything that the Mayor doesn’t agree with? Obviously they have been watching his behavior and understand the possible consequences! Remember he spoke about working together, extending his hand, etc. etc. How long did that last? Not even for the length of his first meeting! Sadly it has really become HIS WAY OR THE HIGHWAY!
Recent Update: Agenda -Final- for the Tuesday, June 10, 2025 Commission Meeting published on June 3 shows two items under the City Commission Items section. F-3 by the Mayor and F-7 by Commissioner Castro are about Hybrid Work. Castro’s item mentions “consideration of different options.” Lago’s shows as just a “discussion regarding hybrid work policy.” Since the Mayor’s is listed first we can expect his ideas to be discussed at length and by the time Castro is called up to speak, and in order to move the meeting along, there will be not much to say about it. Of course, Lago could show his “desire” to have a real transparent discussion and not try to shut her down. As we all have heard many times from the Mayor, actions speak louder than words. Let’s see how he handles this issue!