According to reports, Google is rolling back its widely - favored "Work from Anywhere" (WHA) policy, which was implemented during the pandemic. Internal documents reveal that the updated policy places stringent restrictions on how employees can avail themselves of this perk. Specifically, employees are permitted to work remotely from locations other than their primary office for a maximum of four weeks annually. Moreover, even a single day of remote work at a non - primary office location will result in the deduction of an entire week's allowance.

It's important to note that this policy does not pertain to working from home or from nearby offices. Google's existing hybrid work model, which allows employees to work remotely for two days each week, remains intact.

Furthermore, employees who utilize the "Work from Anywhere" privilege are prohibited from working from Google offices in different states or countries. This is to steer clear of potential legal and tax complications. In cases where employees work across time zones, they are required to adhere to the local office hours.

Some employees have voiced their confusion regarding the rule that stipulates "a single day of remote work counts as a full week." They have also called for a re - evaluation of whether this allowance can be used for working from home. In response, John Casey, Google's Vice President of Performance and Rewards, clarified that the policy was initially formulated as a pandemic - related measure. He emphasized that the allowance has always been calculated on a weekly basis and was never intended to replace the regular remote work arrangements under the hybrid work model.