Facebook will reopen its offices in the Bay Area for some employees starting in May, the company confirmed to CNBC.
Facebook’s Bay Area office, which includes its Menlo Park, California, headquarters, will open at 10% capacity in May as long as health data continues to improve, the company said. The San Francisco Chronicle first reported Facebook’s reopening plans.
The company initially told employees they could work from home until July 2, but now they’ll be able to continue working remotely until one month after their office reaches 50% capacity, Facebook said. The company expects its largest offices won’t reach 50% capacity until early September.
Facebook spokesperson Tracy Clayton told CNBC in a statement that the company is taking a “measured approach” to reopening offices. Physical distancing and mask-wearing are required at all times in offices and, at some sites, weekly testing will be required.
Last May, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg said he predicts that 50% of the company’s employees could be working remotely over the next decade. The company has allowed some employees to work remotely full time and relocate, but those employees may have their compensation adjusted based on their new locations, Zuckerberg said.
Facebook’s decision comes after Microsoft announced this week that it will begin to bring back employees to its Redmond, Washington, headquarters beginning March 29. Microsoft employees can choose between returning to work full time, working remotely or a hybrid model. Twitter and Square are among other companies that have informed employees they can continue to work remotely on a permanent basis.
— CNBC’s Sal Rodriguez contributed to this report.
