SEATTLE — Amazon has pushed back its return-to-work timeline to 2022, extending work from home by another four months.
The e-commerce giant announced Thursday it now expects corporate workers to begin coming into the office regularly on Jan. 3. Previously, Amazon planned to bring back workers starting Sept. 7.
A spokesperson said employee health and well-being remain a top priority and that the company is monitoring the situation closely. The company will gather advice and recommendations from health care professionals as it moves forward in planning.
Amazon also modified its work from home policy, saying in a blog post it would allow corporate employees to work from home two days a week once they return to the office. Employees can apply for an exception if they want to work from home more frequently. Amazon will also allow corporate employees to work remotely at a domestic location for up to four weeks per year.
“Our thinking is predicated on what we believe will be most beneficial for customers, while also trying to give employees more flexibility in their work environment and lives,” the blog post says.
The plan offers more specifics than Amazon previously released. In March, Amazon said it planned to return to “an office-centric culture as our baseline,” because it “enables us to invent, collaborate, and learn together most effectively.”
Employees are required to wear masks in Amazon offices unless they are fully vaccinated, according to a spokesperson.