Google is introducing new limits for employees who work remotely. The company is updating its “Work From Anywhere” (WFA) policy, which was first launched during the COVID-19 pandemic. Previously, employees could work from any location outside their main office for up to four weeks a year.
What’s changing in the WFA policy?
Under the updated rules, even if an employee works remotely for just one day in a week, it will count as a full WFA week. The existing hybrid schedule, which allows employees to work from home two days a week, remains unchanged, CNBC reported after reviewing the tech giant’s updated policy.
Importantly, WFA days are separate from Work From Home (WFH) days, letting employees work from any location, not just their homes.
“Whether you log 1 WFA day or 5 WFA days in a given standard work week, 1 WFA week will be deducted from your WFA weekly balance. WFA weeks cannot be used to work from home or nearby,” Google said in the document.
Restrictions for remote employees
The new policy limits employees from using WFA days to work from another Google office in a different state or country due to legal and financial complications of cross-border work. Employees may also need to follow business hours aligned with their local time zones.
Some roles, like data centre staff, may be exempt since they need to be physically present. The policy warns that violating these rules could result in disciplinary action or termination.
John Casey, Google’s VP of Performance and Rewards, explained that WFA was designed to help employees during the pandemic. He noted it was always meant to be taken in weekly increments and not replace the regular hybrid work schedule.
Here’s how internet reacts
Google’s new policy has sparked criticism among social media users, with several taking to social media platform X (formerly Twitter). One user wrote, “This really does seem like a tough shift, especially when so many of us have found our rhythm with flexible arrangements. That week penalty for just a day feels pretty steep for folks who need occasional flexibility.”
Another user shared, “I think that in general, for average person, it is quite difficult to maintain discipline while working remotely :).”
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