Google says it is ‘likely’ some employees will return to the office in April

Today, Google informed employees that it plans to allow some employees to return to their offices next month. Axios and the New York Times reported in an email that said “it is likely that we will begin to volunteer Googlers in some of our US offices”.

The company said The edge that the specifics of the reopening will depend on “specific criteria that include increases in vaccine availability and declining trends in COVID-19 cases,” but that does not require employees to be vaccinated. Last spring, Google stood out among companies that sent employees home, offering a stipend to purchase the necessary equipment. At one point, he considered reopening offices as early as last July, but the spread of the pandemic was a quick game-changer and has largely closed them since.

Google’s comeback strategy is still scheduled for September, with the clear hope that by then widespread vaccinations will get more people in the same space. CNBC has more details on what happens next, with policies detailed in another note. This report states that employees who wish to work remotely will need to apply to receive more than 14 days per year, with up to 12 months allowed in “the most exceptional circumstances.”