Microsoft will require vaccinations for U.S. workers, vendors, office visitors

Microsoft wants employees to get vaccinated against the Covid19 to join its U.S. offices, starting in September. The software company will also require proof of vaccination for merchants and guests visiting the campus.

The move comes a week after U.S. government agencies and other technology companies said they would need vaccinations for workers, as the delta variant of the coronavirus becomes more prevalent in the country.

Microsoft stated its U.S. facilities would have a full reopening not earlier than Oct. 4. The former plan was to reopen on Sept. 7, after the facilities shut down in March 2020.  Google and Apple also paused returning to offices.

A few employees have returned to U.S. offices in the past few months. But, several other employees have sought to keep working remotely. Last year Microsoft pledged to let all employees work less than half the time remotely, and employees can request managers for permission to work remotely full time or relocate.

Employees with a spiritual reason or a medical condition can get special accommodations. The spokesperson stated that employees considering immunosuppressed people or children who cannot get a vaccine can keep working from home until January.

Facebook and Google are among the companies requiring employees to be vaccinated to come back to offices. Of Microsoft’s 181,000 workers, 103,000 serve in the U.S.

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