Here’s how Microsoft plans to bring employees back to offices – Times of India

With the coronavirus cases seeing a further uptick in the US, many companies have had to alter their back to office plans. One of them in Microsoft. The Richmond-based tech giant is delaying its return to office plans to October 4. According to a report by The Seattle Times, Microsoft was originally set to bring employees back in September.
In the US, Microsoft will make it mandatory for employees to be fully vaccinated to return to office. Not just that, any guests or vendors who want to visit Microsoft offices will also have to be fully vaccinated. The report cites an internal memo that Microsoft shared with its employees. Exception will be made for employees “have a medical condition or other protected reason, such as religion, which prevent them from getting vaccinated,” the report revealed.
The company also said that it will review the situation on a local basis depending region/country/state and adjust its back to office dates and policies.
According to the report, Microsoft’s new vaccine policy will not be applicable outside of the US, as of now. This is because of “varying legal and regulatory requirements, as well as differences in vaccine distribution and availability,” Microsoft reportedly told employees in the internal memo.

Facebook, Google and others too make vaccines mandatory

Microsoft isn’ the only company to make vaccines mandatory for employees to come back to office. Last week, Google CEO Sundar Pichai told employees in an email that vaccination will be a must for employees coming back to offices. “We’re rolling this policy out in the U.S. in the coming weeks and will expand to other regions in the coming months. The implementation will vary according to local conditions and regulations, and will not apply until vaccines are widely available in your area,” Pichai told employees. Google has extended its voluntary work from policy till October 18. It is expected that unless there’s a drastic rise in cases, the company will call back fully vaccinated employees.
Even Facebook has made it mandatory for employees to be fully vaccinated if and when they return to offices. Apple is also reportedly mulling over this idea and has delayed its back to office plans by a month.