Vaccinations Required For Google Employees Before Return To Work

MOUNTAIN VIEW, CA — Google is mandating COVID-19 vaccinations for anyone planning to work at its campuses and delaying its return-to-office plans until mid-October due to the spread of the Delta variant, CEO Sundar Pichai wrote in an email to employees Wednesday.

The mandatory vaccination policy will first be in effect at Google’s Silicon Valley headquarters in Mountain View and other U.S. offices and expand to other regions in the coming months. It won’t apply to workers in a given region until vaccines are widely available in that area. Pichai said that there will be exceptions for medical or other protected reasons.

Google’s decision, which impacts its 130,000 employees worldwide, may lead to other major corporations also mandating vaccinations before workers return to the office. In California, state workers will soon have to show proof of vaccination or be subject to regular testing.

Related: CA To Require Vaccines Or Testing For Health Care, State Workers

Pichai said that vaccination rates among Google employees are “very high,” but didn’t specify the exact number. He added that the Delta variant has caused some concern amongst employees about returning to the office, and that the company would give a 30-day notice before transitioning into its full return-to-office plans.

Google joined Cupertino-based Apple in moving its return-to-office plans back to October.

“I know that many of you continue to deal with very challenging circumstances related to the pandemic,” Pichai wrote. “While there is much that remains outside of our control, I’m proud of the way we continue to take care of each other while helping people, businesses and communities through these difficult times.”

Read Pichai’s full letter here.