Google employees who choose to work from home could face pay cut

Days after extending its work from home policy till October 18, tech giant Google has reportedly told employees that they may face a pay cut if they choose to continue working from home on a permanent basis. According to agency sources, Google employees who move farther away to cheaper areas and choose to work away from the Silicon Valley could see differences in their pay.

The Silicon Valley giant is looking to determine the compensation packages based on location and where the employee works from. This module is being followed by several other companies such as Facebook and Twitter who also cut pay for remote employees. 

Google's decision to cut pay for long-distance commuters and those considering remote work is likely to meet with a backlash. Its internal salary calculator was recently accessed by agencies which highlighted a whopping 15%-25% pay difference for an employee who would choose to work from home than commute an hour from New York City or Lake Tahoe. Areas closer to Silicon Valley such as Seattle, Boston, and San Francisco show a 5-10% pay difference.

Google's work from home policy extended 

On July 29, Google extended its work from home policy till October 18. Google CEO Sundar Pichai in the email also announced that only fully vaccinated employees would be allowed to come to offices. Furthermore, he has outlined the plan for the employees who will be returning back to offices. The new Google WHF policy will be initially rolled out in the USA and will then be expanded to other regions in the coming months.

"We are excited that we've started to re-open our campuses and encourage Googlers who feel safe coming to sites that have already opened to continue doing so. At the same time, we recognise that many Googlers are seeing spikes in their communities caused by the Delta variant and are concerned about returning to the office. This extension will allow us time to ramp back into work while providing flexibility for those who need it," he said in the email. 

In 2020, Google became one of the first companies in Silicon Valley to send employees home to contain the spread of COVID-19. Since then, most employees have been working from home with selective workers on campus. Their return back to a full-functioning office has been deferred till September 2021.

(With Agency Inputs)