REDMOND, Wash. – Microsoft has reversed course and will now require employees to be fully vaccinated to enter the company’s U.S. offices and other worksites, starting next month.
The Redmond-based tech giant told employees Tuesday it will “require proof of vaccination for all employees, vendors, and any guests entering Microsoft buildings in the U.S.," the Seattle Times reported.
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The company also said it will have a process to accommodate employees who have a medical condition or other reasons that prevent them from getting vaccinated.
Caregivers of people who are immunosuppressed or parents of children who are too young to receive a vaccine can work from home until January, the company said.
It is also delaying its return to the office by nearly a month, to Oct. 4.
The company’s new vaccine mandate won’t be imposed outside of the U.S. due to legal and vaccine distribution differences, the memo said.
Microsoft’s new vaccine policy follows similar moves last week by other employers, including Google and Facebook, along with Disney and Walmart. This week, Tyson and health care giant Kaiser Permanente joined the list.
Redfin, the Seattle-based online brokerage, told staff Tuesday it will delay its office reopening indefinitely and will require employees to be vaccinated before they go into the office.