Google extends work-from-home for employees worldwide until January 10 next year

In view of the concerns about the uptick of COVID-19 cases driven by the hyper contagious delta variant, Google on Tuesday announced that it was extending  the ‘work from home’ option for its employees further into next year, 2022. CEO Sundar Pichai had earlier in a company statement asked all the employees who work physically from a Google campus to get vaccinated against the coronavirus. Now in an email rolled out companywide, Pichai stated that the employees can work remotely in their roles till January 10, 2022 and it was a voluntary decision to return to the campuses globally. 

Google “will enable countries and locations to make determinations on when to end voluntary work-from-home based on local conditions,” the content of the email read, according to the news agencies. The firm reiterated that it would be the sole decision of the local office management to decide whether they need the employees to return to their work desks or back in the office premises. CEO Pichai asked the management to hand at least a 30-day prior notice in case the staff was mandatorily required to report to work premises for the projects. 

“I’m happy to say that a large number of offices globally are already open for business, and we are welcoming back tens of thousands of Googlers voluntarily. The road ahead maybe a little longer and bumpier than we hoped, yet I remain optimistic that we will get through it together,” Pichai stated.

Google employees should be able to take an extra day off in October and December as “reset days” to “rest and recharge,” he added. 

COVID-19 vaccines 'widely available' at Google offices 

Google offices across the United States have made the COVID-19 vaccines widely available. It is expected of the employees to take the COVID-19 shot, although CEO Pichai had earlier made a statement that there would be an exemptions process for those who cannot take the vaccine for medical or various other reasons. Some of the US states, including Florida, have passed legislation making it illegal for businesses to enforce the vaccination and demand proof of vaccination from the employees. Google has also opened options to allow employees with special circumstances to extend their work from the home period on a conditional basis. The company also announced that it was extending paid medical leaves for the parents and caregivers.

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