Google will now require all of its on-campus employees to receive the COVID vaccine, and will delay the return to working in-person until mid-October.
Chief Executive Sudnar Pichai told employees Wednesday that the company would begin requiring vaccinations on its U.S. campuses in the next few weeks, according to the Wall Street Journal. He said Google would expand that requirement to other countries in the coming months.
He hopes that the vaccine requirement will give the company’s over 135,000 employees “greater peace of mind as offices open.”
“Getting vaccinated is one of the most important ways to keep ourselves and our communities healthy in the months ahead,” he said.
Google will accommodate those who can’t receive the vaccine for medical or other reasons other than political.
Pichai noted that Google would monitor COVID-19 cases and update its staff about plans to return to work in-person, adding that the delay will hopefully ease stress.
“We recognize that many Googlers are seeing spikes in their communities caused by the Delta variant and are concerned about returning to the office,” Pichai said. This extension will allow us time to ramp back into work while providing flexibility for those who need it.”
