Google has updated its Work From Anywhere (WFA) policy, reducing the flexibility previously available to employees.
During the pandemic, Google allowed employees to work remotely from home, other cities, or even different countries for up to 4 weeks a year. Under the new rules, this is no longer allowed.
Key Changes to WFA
No WFA from home or nearby locations: WFA days can now only be used away from both the employee’s home and main office.
Full-week deduction: If an employee works just one WFA day in a week, the entire week is counted as WFA, even if the rest of the days are spent in the office.
No working from other states or countries: Employees cannot use WFA to work from a location outside their designated office city.
This change addresses legal, tax, and time zone issues, as employees in different locations may have to follow fixed working hours.
Reason Behind the Change
John Casey, Google’s President of Performance and Rewards, explained that the WFA policy was initially designed to support employees during the pandemic and was intended for weekly remote work, not as a replacement for regular hybrid schedules.
The update comes amid growing pressure on Google’s remote workforce. Earlier this year, the company warned that remote roles could be removed if employees did not adhere to hybrid working requirements.
