Facebook staff is not going to be summoned again to their firm’s workplaces come January 31 as was beforehand deliberate, following concerns over the rise of the Omicron variant of COVID-19.
As a substitute, staff might proceed to do business from home till the pandemic meaningfully subsides.
Meta, the just lately renamed dad or mum firm of Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp and different subsidiaries, on Tuesday introduced adjustments to the corporate’s return-to-office plans, together with its “office deferral program.”
Below the association, staff who’re able to return to workplaces might accomplish that on January 31, whereas those that will not be but snug returning might proceed working from house for a three- to five-month interval, a Meta spokesperson informed CBS MoneyWatch.
“For those wishing to return in January we look forward to providing a vibrant office experience that continues to prioritize health and safety. We also recognize that some aren’t quite ready to come back,” mentioned Janelle Gale, Meta’s vp of human sources.
Gale mentioned Meta is permitting U.S. and Canada-based staff who’re hesitant to return to decide on the place they work, at the very least on a brief foundation. Meta employs roughly 50,000 individuals worldwide.
Since Might 2020, Meta staff, together with those that work for Menlo Park, California-based Facebook, have had the choice to request full-time distant work, if their job may be carried out remotely. The corporate has additionally mentioned it would alter salaries for full-time distant workers who relocate to decrease value areas.
The know-how big’s softened stance on bringing workers again to the workplaces in January comes as public well being officers specific concerns over the arrival of the extremely contagious Omicron variant, which research present can evade vaccines.
The Meta announcement comes after different business leaders, together with fellow tech big Google and automaker Ford each introduced they are going to miss their January goal dates for bringing workers again to the businesses’ workplaces.