Amazon Asks All Employees to Work From Home Not all employees can work from home, but Amazon is also providing paid time off for full and part-time employees who contract the virus, and unlimited, unpaid time off for all employees.
By Adam Smith Edited by Jessica Thomas
This story originally appeared on PC Mag
As the coronavirus pandemic spreads, Amazon is the latest company to tell its estimated 798,000 employees that they should work from home until the end of March.
"We continue to work closely with public and private medical experts to ensure we are taking the right precautions as the situation continues to evolve. As a result, we are now recommending that all of our employees globally who are able to work from home do so through the end of March," an Amazon spokesperson said in a statement.
According to Techcrunch, Amazon has agreed to provide two weeks extra paid time off for full and part-time employees who contract the virus. The extra time is also available for anyone who is quarantined. There's also unlimited time off available for all employees this month, although they will not be compensated. Global employees in Amazon's food service areas, the janitorial staff, and its security workers will also continue to be paid.
As well as Amazon, social media website Twitter also told its near-5000 staff that they should work from home - changing what was previously guidance into mandatory policy.
Other companies, meanwhile, are providing better service to customers while the pandemic spreads. AT&T said it would lift its data caps, MSI is extending warranties by two months, and Pornhub is offering Italians free Premium access to porn during the Italy's quarantine period.
