Gov. Gavin Newsom last week signed an executive order mandating that all state agencies and departments that continue to offer remote work require a minimum of four in-person days per work week starting July 1. Exceptions may be offered on a case-by-case basis.

“In-person work makes us all stronger — period,” he said in a statement. “When we work together, collaboration improves, innovation thrives and accountability increases. That means better service, better solutions, and better results for Californians, while still allowing flexibility.”

The order is likely to inflame tensions between the governor and labor unions representing public employees, which have fought back against previous efforts to limit telework for the state workforce. About 95,000 employees continue to work remotely or in a hybrid capacity, according to the governor’s office.

Newsom already called workers back to the office at least two days per week last April, citing enhanced efficiency, mentorship and supervision from in-person work.

40-day Target boycott begins

A 40-day boycott of Target that calls for supporters to give up shopping at the company’s stores during the Lenten period kicked off this week to protest the discount retailer’s decision to end some of its diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives.

The Rev. Jamal Bryant, senior pastor of New Birth Missionary Baptist Church near Atlanta, organized the Target Fast that began Wednesday — the first day of Lent — along with other faith and civil rights leaders. A website for participants points to the spending power of Black Americans and described the boycott as “a spiritual act of resistance.”

“This is a fast for accountability. A fast for justice. A fast for a future where corporations do not bow to pressure at the expense of marginalized communities,” reads a message on targetfast.org. “Turn your dollars into data, power, and change.”

Target declined to comment directly on the boycott, which runs through April 17.

Treasury won’t enforce rule

The U.S. Treasury Department announced it will not enforce a Joe Biden-era small-business rule intended to curb money laundering and shell company formation.

In a Sunday evening announcement, Treasury said in a news release that it will not impose penalties now or in the future if companies fail to register for the agency’s beneficial ownership information database that was created during the Biden administration.

Despite efforts by small businesses to undue the rule in the courts, it remains in effect.

In September 2022, the Treasury Department started rulemaking to create a database that would contain personal information on the owners of at least 32 million U.S. businesses as part of an effort to combat shell company formations and illicit finance.

Treasury officials said the regulatory burden would be small, costing about $85 per business, but would offer benefits to law enforcement officials seeking to track down money launderers and other criminals.

CFPB drops its Zelle lawsuit

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau is dropping its lawsuit against the company that runs the Zelle payment platform and three U.S. banks as federal agencies continue to pull back on previous enforcement actions now that President Donald Trump is back in office.

In December a federal regulator sued JPMorgan Chase, Wells Fargo and Bank of America, claiming the banks failed to protect hundreds of thousands of consumers from rampant fraud on Zelle, in violation of consumer financial laws.

In the federal civil complaint, the CFPB asserted that the banks rushed to get the peer-to-peer payments platform to market without effective safeguards against fraud and then, after consumers complained about being defrauded on the service, largely denied them relief.

Early Warning Services, a Scottsdale-based company that operates Zelle, is owned by seven U.S. banks, including JPMorgan, Wells Fargo and Bank of America. Those three banks are the largest on the Zelle network, accounting for 73% of activity on Zelle in 2023.

Compiled from CalMatters, Associated Press and Bloomberg reports.