Google asks employees to return to office on April 4

Google has said that it will end work-from-home system for employees and asked them to return to the office on April 4. The search giant will now end the voluntary work from home specifically for employees in several US locations including the Bay Area. Previously, Google had also eased the vaccination guidelines. It no longer wants its employees who are working from home to get both the Covid-19 vaccines.

"It's been a long and challenging two years since the vast majority of our people started working from home. But the advances in prevention and treatment, the steady decline in cases that we continue to see, and the improved safety measures we have implemented across our Bay Area sites now mean we can officially begin the transition to the hybrid work week," John Casey, Google's vice president of global benefits said in an email to employees. The email was obtained by CNBC.

The development comes a week after Google eased the vaccination requirements. As per CNBC report, Google no longer wants its employees to get vaccinated. "We're not enforcing vaccination requirements as a condition of employment for US office workers at this time. We're continuing to implement our vaccination policy requiring COVID-19 vaccinations or approved accommodations for any individuals accessing our sites, because it's one of the most important ways we can keep our workforce safe and keep our services running," Google spokesperson Lora Lee Erickson said in a statement to The Verge. She added that employees working at Google's Santa Clara County facilities will have to wear masks in the office.

CNBC has also shared details from a notice sent to staff by David Radcliffe, Google's VP of real estate and workplace services. The note says that "unvaccinated employees who are approved to enter offices will still need to follow additional protocols, including testing and wearing a mask". His note further mentioned that amenities like fitness centers, shuttle services, pantries, and "all informal spaces" will be reopening soon.

Back in December, Google had sent a memo to its employees stating that employees who were found flouting vaccination rules would eventually be fired from the company. The search giant had given a deadline of January 18 to its employees to comply with the vaccination rules. Google has noted that the employees that fail to comply by the said date will be placed on "paid administrative leave" for 30 days, followed by "unpaid personal leave" for up to six months and termination. The new rules were announced for US employees only. Google is yet to share its return-to-office plans for its Indian employees.

Google is not the only company to relax its Covid-19 policies. Apple, which had made it compulsory for customers shopping at retail stores to wear masks, has now dropped the mask requirements. The new guidelines have only been rolled out in countries and states where Covid-19 cases are almost non-existent. Buyers in India should still wear masks whenever they step out of their house or visit stores.