Google to return Seattle employees on hybrid model, will require vaccines for in-person work

After two years with the bulk of its employees working remotely, Google plans to return employees to its Seattle and Kirkland offices on a hybrid schedule starting April 4.

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The company first expressed its intention to shift to a hybrid schedule in spring of 2021, but numerous subsequent surges in COVID-19 cases delayed the rollout of that plan by nearly a year. Up until now, Google employees in the region have been operating on a voluntary work-from-home schedule. By next month, the company plans to have a majority of its Seattle and Kirkland employees splitting their work week between three days in person and two days from home.

“Googlers can also work from the office more often if they choose, and some roles may need to be onsite more than three days a week due to the nature of their work,” a Google spokesperson clarified on Wednesday.

Although a King County vaccine verification policy is no longer in effect, the company still plans to require any employee working onsite in the Seattle area to provide either proof of vaccination or “approved accommodations” for those with “medical or other protected reasons” to not be vaccinated. Anyone granted accommodations will be required to submit to regular COVID-19 testing, and will have to wear a mask while working in person.

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Other large tech companies in the region have laid out similar plans to allow for hybrid work schedules. Microsoft’s Washington work sites fully reopened on Feb. 28, but are giving employees the option to work part of the week from home with approval from individual team managers.

Amazon adopted a similar model in October 2021, while Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg committed to allowing his company’s employees to continue working from home for the next decade.

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