4 ms·

Microsoft indefinitely delays employees' return to its offices

44 points by underscore_ku 5y ago

walterbell 5y ago
This may allow time for lawsuits and SCOTUS to rule on today's non-legislative mandates, https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-business-health-coronavirus-pandemic-executive-branch-18fb12993f05be13bf760946a6fb89be https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-business-health-coronav... > The expansive rules mandate that all employers with more than 100 workers require them to be vaccinated or test for the virus weekly, affecting about 80 million Americans ... The requirement for large companies to mandate vaccinations or weekly testing for employees will be enacted through a forthcoming rule from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration that carries penalties of $14,000 per violation
- geofft 5y ago
  Is Microsoft not already doing that? My much-smaller-than-MS employer has been requiring either (self-attested) vaccination or weekly tests for people voluntarily returning to the office.
  - walterbell 5y ago
    Those opposed to mandates probably aren't volunteering to return to the office. A delay could provide more time for the legality of mandates to be challenged. > Most recently, the aim was to fully reopen the headquarters in Redmond, Washington and several other US offices no earlier than October 4th. "Given the uncertainty of COVID-19, we’ve decided against attempting to forecast a new date for a full reopening of our US work sites in favor of opening US work sites as soon as we’re able to do so safely based on public health guidance."
tdeck 5y ago
Microsoft seems to have done this in the least respectful way of all the tech giants. They waited until 25 days before the planned RTO date, and won't even give assurance of the earliest date they might expect people back. Other companies pushed this months ago.
sterlind 5y ago
A couple months ago our admins made a big effort to draw up seating plans, see who would still be working remotely or who needed a desk, etc. I called it! I knew this wouldn't end up panning out, even before Delta made the news. I have a disability which gives me permanent WFH as an accommodation, but I feel for the people who can and want to return. Hope it's safe again in the future.

44 points by underscore_ku 5y ago

This may allow time for lawsuits and SCOTUS to rule on today's non-legislative mandates, https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-business-health-coronavirus-pandemic-executive-branch-18fb12993f05be13bf760946a6fb89be https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-business-health-coronav... > The expansive rules mandate that all employers with more than 100 workers require them to be vaccinated or test for the virus weekly, affecting about 80 million Americans ... The requirement for large companies to mandate vaccinations or weekly testing for employees will be enacted through a forthcoming rule from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration that carries penalties of $14,000 per violation

geofft 5y ago
Is Microsoft not already doing that? My much-smaller-than-MS employer has been requiring either (self-attested) vaccination or weekly tests for people voluntarily returning to the office.
- walterbell 5y ago
  Those opposed to mandates probably aren't volunteering to return to the office. A delay could provide more time for the legality of mandates to be challenged. > Most recently, the aim was to fully reopen the headquarters in Redmond, Washington and several other US offices no earlier than October 4th. "Given the uncertainty of COVID-19, we’ve decided against attempting to forecast a new date for a full reopening of our US work sites in favor of opening US work sites as soon as we’re able to do so safely based on public health guidance."

tdeck 5y ago

Microsoft seems to have done this in the least respectful way of all the tech giants. They waited until 25 days before the planned RTO date, and won't even give assurance of the earliest date they might expect people back. Other companies pushed this months ago.

sterlind 5y ago

A couple months ago our admins made a big effort to draw up seating plans, see who would still be working remotely or who needed a desk, etc. I called it! I knew this wouldn't end up panning out, even before Delta made the news. I have a disability which gives me permanent WFH as an accommodation, but I feel for the people who can and want to return. Hope it's safe again in the future.