London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Thursday, Jul 23, 2026

Tech employees working from home could see a pay cut as companies push back office returns

Tech employees working from home could see a pay cut as companies push back office returns

Some companies have pushed back their return to office dates as Delta surges across the U.S.

Employees at Google and other tech companies who opt to work from their homes permanently could reportedly see a pay cut depending on where they live.

In a statement provided to Reuters on Tuesday, Google said that employee salaries have always been determined by location.

"Our compensation packages have always been determined by location, and we always pay at the top of the local market based on where an employee works from," a spokesperson for the search engine giant told the outlet.

The spokesperson noted that pay will differ from city to city and state to state, though saying the company would not change an employee's salary based on a transition from office work to working from home.

Fox Business' request for comment from Google was not immediately returned.

In this Oct. 20, 2015 file photo, signage sits outside Google headquarters in Mountain View, Calif. Google is postponing a return to the office for most workers until mid-October and rolling out a policy that will eventually require everyone 


Both Facebook and Twitter will also cut pay for remote employees who move to less expensive areas, Reuters said, and fellow Silicon Valley powerhouse Apple has also pushed back its return-to-office plans to October.

While most companies are planning to bring their workers back a few days a week, others have also decided to let employees work remotely permanently.

The highly transmissible Delta variant of the coronavirus has led to a surge of cases and hospitalizations in the U.S. over the past few weeks – throwing a wrench in some return plans.

Amidst the surge, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced it would reverse previous guidance that only unvaccinated individuals need wear face coverings, advising that some vaccinated individuals resume wearing masks in certain situations to protect against the virus.

Google, which has more than 130,000 employees worldwide, announced at the end of July that its return to office date would be postponed yet again.

An e-mail from CEO Sundar Pichai said that that the company was targeting October 18 for a return to campuses instead of its previous target of September 1.

"We are excited that we’ve started to re-open our campuses and encourage Googlers who feel safe coming to sites that have already opened to continue doing so. At the same time, we recognize that many Googlers are seeing spikes in their communities caused by the Delta variant and are concerned about returning to the office. This extension will allow us time to ramp back into work while providing flexibility for those who need it," he explained, "We’ll continue watching the data carefully and let you know at least 30 days in advance before transitioning into our full return to office plans."

Additionally, Pichai said that Google would be rolling out a policy in the U.S. mandating anyone working on campuses to be vaccinated, though noting that the company's vaccination rate is already high.

"We’re rolling this policy out in the U.S. in the coming weeks and will expand to other regions in the coming months. The implementation will vary according to local conditions and regulations, and will not apply until vaccines are widely available in your area,' he explained. "You’ll get guidance from your local leads about how this will affect you, and we’ll also share more details on an exceptions process for those who cannot be vaccinated for medical or other protected reasons."

Facebook has also made COVID-19 vaccinations mandatory for its U.S. employees.

Twitter – which has yet to instate a vaccine mandate – closed reopened offices in July due to the Delta variant.

Notably, even before the pandemic began, Twitter and other tech titans had told employees they could work from home.

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
UK Government Reviews Long-Term Balance Between Cost Relief, Industry Support, and Public Investment Priorities
BBC Could Receive Permanent Royal Charter Under Government Proposal
Northern Ireland Proposes End to Severe Weather Exemptions for Electricity Compensation Rules
Andy Burnham Holds Talks With UK Devolved Leaders on Regional Cooperation and Devolution
House of Lords Launches Inquiry Into Risks Facing UK Democratic Institutions
ScottishPower Renewables Plans Major Rebuild of Whitelee Wind Farm With Fewer Larger Turbines
UK and Italy Leaders Discuss Global Combat Air Programme and Future European Cooperation
UK Government Announces Six Hundred Million Pound Aerospace Investment Package at Farnborough Airshow
European Union Approves UK Participation in Ninety Billion Euro Ukraine Support Loan Framework
Rolls-Royce Warns UK Government Over Jet Engine Funding Decision and Future Manufacturing Plans
UK Inflation Falls to Two Point Six Percent in June as Fuel and Food Prices Ease
Andy Burnham Begins Premiership With Two Pound England Bus Fare Cap and Electricity Tax Cut Plan
YouGov Poll Shows Tight Competition Among UK Political Parties
Space Technology Investment Expands Through UK-US Cooperation at Farnborough Airshow
UK Opens Final India Young Professionals Scheme Ballot for Three Thousand Applicants
United Kingdom Approved for Ukraine Financial Support Initiative With EU Partners
UK and Ireland Leaders Discuss Security, Energy and Regional Cooperation
British Heart Foundation Identifies Ten UK Areas With Severe Shortages of Defibrillators
Former Southern Water Executives Charged Over Alleged Water Test Manipulation Scheme
IMF Warns UK Economic Growth Will Slow to One Percent in 2026
UK Inflation Falls to Two Point Six Percent in June as Food and Energy Costs Ease
United Kingdom Joins European Union Loan Mechanism to Support Ukraine’s Defense Needs
Prime Minister Andy Burnham Introduces Two-Pound Bus Fare Cap and Energy Tax Relief Measures Across England
Northern Ireland Secures Additional Infrastructure Funding From UK Treasury
Wales Approves Port Investment Plans to Support Green Energy Supply Chains
UK Financial Regulator Simplifies Stock Market Rules to Attract More Listings
UK Reports Decline in Small Boat Crossings Across the English Channel
UK Government Creates Emergency Support Fund for Financially Pressured Universities
Scottish Government Launches Economic Strategy Focused on Innovation and Renewable Industries
UK Expands Sustainable Farming Incentives to Support Environmental Measures
UK Government Introduces New Neighbourhood Policing Standards Across England and Wales
UK Competition Regulator Opens Review of Artificial Intelligence Foundation Models
UK Deepens Indo-Pacific Security Cooperation After Talks With Singapore and Japan
UK Announces Rail Modernisation Plan for Northern England With New Infrastructure Funding
UK Government Updates Housing Planning Rules to Accelerate Residential Construction
UK Approves Major North Sea Offshore Wind Project to Support Clean Power Goals
UK Health Service Begins Major Digital Upgrade to Cut Hospital Waiting Times
Bank of England Holds Interest Rates Steady as UK Inflation Pressures Remain Persistent
UK Universities and Industry Expand Space and Defense Research Partnerships
House of Lords Approves Social Housing Bill Amendments on Shared Ownership Rights
House of Lords Advances Civil Aviation Bill With New Passenger Protection Measures
UK Government Suspends Tariffs on Fertilizer and Food Imports to Reduce Costs
Russell Group Universities Support New UK Business Department Focused on Innovation
UK Parliament Opens Inquiry Into Transport Barriers Facing Young Jobseekers
Home Builders Federation Calls for Lower Costs as New UK Government Sets Housing Priorities
Andy Burnham Meets UK Devolved Leaders to Strengthen Regional Cooperation
Andy Burnham Holds First International Calls With Trump, Macron, and Zelenskyy
Andy Burnham Reshuffles Cabinet With John Healey Appointed Chancellor of the Exchequer
Andy Burnham Government Removes VAT From Electricity Bills to Cut Household Costs
Andy Burnham Becomes United Kingdom Prime Minister After Sir Keir Starmer Resigns
×