Google, which mandated Covid vaccines for employees last summer, has changed course and chosen to remove the requirement.
CNBC originally reported the change on Wednesday, and it was later confirmed by a number of other media outlets.
The mandate change comes as the corporation prepares to welcome staff back to the office three days a week. The return date has not been set, although it is likely within the next month or two. Employee benefits, such as massages and cafeteria choices, are also being eased back in after a long hiatus due to the pandemic.
Vaccine regulations were adopted by major media corporations such as Disney, Paramount Global, and NBCUniversal last year. Workers are returning to work in phases in the media and entertainment industries, as well as in the technology sector, as corporations fine-tune their policies and procedures. The business activity is taking place against a backdrop of government change. As Covid statistics improve, New York City is prepared to join other jurisdictions in repealing mandates for masks and immunizations in a variety of venues. The shift in New York, the pandemic's original hub, has attracted attention in recent days because it will allow NBA star Kyrie Irving to resume playing home games for the Brooklyn Nets.
Employees who are completely vaccinated at Google will no longer be required to wear masks in indoor workplaces, with the exception of the company's Santa Clara County, CA headquarters. Employees who have not been immunized must submit negative tests and wear masks in order to work.
