Google Drops Employee Vaccine Mandate

Tech giant Google is reportedly dropping many of its coronavirus-related restrictions, including its vaccine mandate for U.S. employees.

CNBC reports that Google is removing many of its coronavirus restrictions including testing requirements, social distancing, masks, and mandatory vaccination for all U.S. employees.

Google’s main campus is seen as a sit-in to protest against Google’s retaliation against workers takes place within Google’s main cafeteria in Mountain View, California on May 1, 2019. (AMY OSBORNE/AFP/Getty Images)

Google Real Estate and Workplace Services VP David Radcliffe informed San Francisco Bay Area employees in an email this week that the company was lifting many of its restrictions. Radcliffe noted that company perks would also be returning, such as massages and access to informal spaces within the office.

Radcliffe stated that the company would be lifting the testing requirements it imposed on its Bay Area workers in January in which employees were tested for the coronavirus on a weekly basis. Radcliffe further noted that social distancing requirements and masks for vaccinated employees in most areas would likely be dropped — but some cities still required masks to be worn.

One of the biggest changes is that was the company is reversing its policy on requiring all of its U.S.-based employees to be vaccinated, according to a Google spokesperson. It was reported in December that Google informed employees that they must comply with vaccine policies or face loss of pay and eventual firing.

The Google spokesperson told CNBC that the company dropped the requirement for employment last month and removed the January 18 deadline it had set for employees to get vaccinated or get exemption approval.

“We’re continuing to implement our vaccination policy requiring COVID-19 vaccinations or approved accommodations for any individuals accessing our sites, because it’s one of the most important ways we can keep our workforce safe and keep our services running,” the spokesperson stated.

However, notes from Radcliffe stated that unvaccinated employees who are approved to enter offices will still need to follow additional protocols like testing and wearing a mask.

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