[ad_1]
SEATTLE: Amazon.com told employees whose work can be done from home on Tuesday (Oct. 20) that they can do it through June 2021, extending the back-to-office schedule due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Employees who work in a function that can be done effectively from home can do so until June 30, 2021,” an Amazon spokeswoman said in an emailed statement Tuesday, adding that the guidance is applicable to world level.
Amazon had previously allowed that option until January.
The development comes less than three weeks after the world’s largest online retailer said more than 19,000 of its front-line workers in the United States contracted the coronavirus this year.
Some employees, elected officials, and unions in recent months have said that Amazon put employees’ health at risk by keeping warehouses open during the pandemic.
READ: Amazon Workers Say Prime Day Rush Breaks COVID-19 Security Vows: Report
“We have invested significant funds and resources to keep those who choose to come to the office safe through physical distancing, deep cleaning, temperature controls, and by providing face coverings and hand sanitizer,” the Amazon spokeswoman said Tuesday.
In May, Twitter became the first major tech company to allow employees who can work remotely to do so indefinitely.
Other tech giants have extended the option of working from home for their employees, and Microsoft said earlier this month that it will allow most employees to work remotely for up to half their weekly work hours.
Facebook had said it would allow its employees to work from home until July next year, while Google had extended the remote work period for employees who don’t need to be in the office until June.
