Lyft Pushes Office Return Date to February, Citing Virus Concern

(Bloomberg) -- Lyft Inc. postponed the date for employees to return to most of its offices by six months, saying in an email to staff on Wednesday that it now expects employees to return on Feb. 2.

The ride-hailing giant is the latest company to delay its return-to-office plans because of a rising number of coronavirus cases in the U.S. Apple Inc. said it would not bring staff back until at least October. Alphabet Inc.’s Google is asking employees to return on Oct. 18.

The decision follows an advisory from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention advising even vaccinated people to wear masks inside in some parts of the country.

Lyft’s offices will remain open for employees who want to come in, and the company will require those currently working there to be vaccinated started Aug. 2. “We anticipate the Covid situation will remain fluid for the upcoming months,” the company wrote in the email, “making it difficult for us to land a clear return date without a possibility of moving it again.”

©2021 Bloomberg L.P.