Wells Fargo postpones plans to return to office until October

Wells Fargo has pushed back plans to return employees to company offices by a month in response to the increase in coronavirus cases in the United States.

The bank is now aiming to launch the first phase of its plan on October 4, compared to a previous target of September 7, according to a note Thursday from COO Scott Powell. This ruling applies to employees who are currently working remotely, not those already working on site, Powell said.

Wells Fargo, America’s fourth-largest bank by assets, joins a growing list of companies pushing back return dates or forcing employees to get vaccinated or wear masks amid a nationwide wave triggered by the more contagious delta variant.

Last week, Citigroup said that even vaccinated employees should wear masks in company offices. Tech giants, including Facebook and Alphabet, are now requiring employees who wish to return to the office to be vaccinated. Giant asset manager BlackRock also said Thursday it was pushing plans to return the offices by a month to October, according to Bloomberg, who previously reported the Wells Fargo news.

The bank also encouraged, but did not require, employees to be vaccinated and said nearly 90% of its workforce had responded to an internal vaccine questionnaire, according to the memo obtained by CNBC. The bank declined to comment beyond the rating.

“We will continue to monitor the situation and make further adjustments as necessary,” Powell told employees. “Please take care of yourself and your families.”

This story is developing. Please check for updates.