Google is postponing the reopening of its US offices by nearly two months due to a recent surge in the number of coronavirus cases.
All of the company’s US offices will remain closed at least until September 7, according to a memo that the Alphabet-owned firm sent to its employees on Tuesday. In May, the company’s chief executive, Sundar Pichai, said Google will reopen most of its global offices on July 6 for employees who are keen to return to the workplace.
“As the recent resurgence of cases demonstrates, Covid-19 is still very much alive in our communities,” Chris Rackow, Google’s vice president of global security, said in the memo.
“While conditions do vary from state to state, we need to see that the US outlook as a whole is stable before we move forward.”
Infectious disease expert Anthony Fauci, a leading member of President Donald Trump's coronavirus task force, warned Congress on Tuesday that new coronavirus cases could more than double to 100,000 per day if authorities and the public fail to take steps to suppress the pandemic.
He said the US, the world's hardest-hit nation with more than 2.6 million infections, was headed in the "wrong direction" and cautioned Americans to wear masks and avoid crowds.
Google shut its offices in the first week of March to stem the spread of coronavirus.
“For all of you that are working from home, please continue to do so unless you are told otherwise by your manager,” Mr Rackow said.
More than 30 million jobs have been affected, at least temporarily, in the US due to the coronavirus pandemic. US Federal Reserve chair Jerome Powell has warned that a full economic recovery in the country may take until the end of 2021 and could require the development of a coronavirus vaccine.
In May, Google said that depending on the “external conditions”, it is aiming for a gradual return of employees – starting with about 10 per cent office capacity before ramping it up to 30 per cent by September.
Mr Pichai said there are a limited number of employees who are needed back in offices this calendar year.
“If this applies to you, your manager will let you know … for everyone else, returning to the office will be voluntary through the end of the year, and we encourage you to continue to work from home if you can.”
Google is currently investing heavily in expansions of various sites including San Jose, New York and at the company’s sprawling headquarters in Mountain View.
Mr Pichai said the new emphasis on remote working will not affect those ongoing projects.
Global tech companies are considering a staggered return to work in an effort to resume office operations safely in the absence of a vaccine.
Facebook and Twitter have already given their employees an option to work from home permanently. Apple, however, is bringing staff back to its stores in different phases after it shut down its retail operations amid the outbreak.
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Dolittle
Director: Stephen Gaghan
Stars: Robert Downey Jr, Michael Sheen
One-and-a-half out of five stars
Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026
1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years
If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.
2. E-invoicing in the UAE
Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption.
3. More tax audits
Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks.
4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime
Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.
5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit
There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.
6. Further transfer pricing enforcement
Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes.
7. Limited time periods for audits
Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion.
8. Pillar 2 implementation
Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.
9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services
Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations.
10. Substance and CbC reporting focus
Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity.
Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
