The earliest date for fully reopening Microsoft’s US
facilities will be October 4, according to the computing giant based near
Amazon in the state of Washington.
“Starting in September, we’ll also require proof of
vaccination for all employees, vendors and any guests entering Microsoft
buildings in the United States,” Microsoft said in response to an AFP inquiry.
Microsoft and other tech firms said they are closely
tracking the pandemic and adapting plans as the situation evolves, keeping
employee health as a top priority.
E-commerce colossus Amazon confirmed that it is delaying
return of employees to its corporate offices until January of next year instead
of having them come back in September as originally hoped.
“We require employees to wear masks in our offices, with the
exception of those who have verified full vaccination,” Amazon told AFP.
Google and Facebook last week said workers returning to
offices will need to be vaccinated against Covid-19, in the latest move by
firms and US government agencies.
Spikes in infections due to a Delta variant of the virus
have ramped up concerns in the United States, where more than 600,000 people
have died in the pandemic.
Google last week made campuses off-limits to unvaccinated
employees and extend its global work-from-home option through October 18.
“Anyone coming to work on our campuses will need to be
vaccinated,” Google chief executive Sundar Pichai said in a blog post.
Google and Facebook were among companies worldwide that
abandoned campuses early last year, letting people work remotely rather than
risk exposure to Covid-19 in offices.
“We will be requiring anyone coming to work at any of our US
campuses to be vaccinated,” Facebook vice president of people Lori Goler said
in response to an AFP inquiry.
“We will have a process for those who cannot be vaccinated
for medical or other reasons and will be evaluating our approach in other
regions as the situation evolves.”
Many unions and critics of mandates have spoken out against
required vaccinations, citing personal freedom arguments.
Microsoft said that employees who are not vaccinated due to
medical or religious reasons will be accommodated.
Rising pandemic concerns are also slowing the return to
offices in the financial sector, with investment management giant Black Rock
telling US workers it extended its “re-acclimating period” a month to the start
of October.
Wells Fargo and US Bank have also delayed having employees return to offices, according to a CNN report.