Bugs have once again been found inside the California Department of Education headquarters in downtown Sacramento, prompting employees to leave the building and raising concerns among workers about returning to the office.
Employees were instructed to go home after bugs were detected in the building, according to state workers and union representatives.
They say it's not the first time. Union representatives and employees confirmed to CBS News Sacramento that this is the second bug-related incident at the headquarters in the past two years.
"If they're in one place, it's very easy for them to be throughout the entire building," said Anica Walls, president of SEIU Local 100.
The discovery has renewed concerns about workplace safety, particularly as state employees prepare for expanded return-to-office requirements.
"Let's do what's necessary and make sure that our employees stay safe and that when they are in the building, they're not contracting or taking home anything that they don't need to be," Walls said.
The California Department of Education confirmed the building experienced a bed bug incident in 2024. However, officials said they are still awaiting pest control reports to determine whether the insects recently discovered are bed bugs or another species.
State workers say they want a permanent solution rather than temporary fixes.
"It's smart to fix the problem the correct way rather than trying to just mitigate the issue and shut down certain floors," Walls said.
While most state agencies are scheduled to move to a four-day-a-week, in-office schedule beginning next week, California Department of Education employees will continue their current hybrid schedule of two in-office days per week through the end of the year.
In a statement, the department said it is working with the Department of General Services and pest control specialists to inspect the entire building.
"As stated in the message to our employees, we are actively coordinating follow-up inspections and remediation efforts and will provide updates as soon as additional information becomes available," the department said.
Union representatives said the department was responsive during the previous infestation and expressed hope for a quicker resolution this time.
"Last time, they were really receptive to the conversations with employees, which was good. We're hoping for another good outcome, hopefully just a little more expedient this time," Walls said.
CBS News Sacramento also spoke with a local pest control company, which said that if the insects are confirmed to be bed bugs, treatment could take several months.
The process typically involves repeated inspections and treatments every one to two weeks, including high-heat treatments reaching approximately 160 degrees and extensive cleaning to prevent the infestation from returning.
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