It’s being reported that Fox Newsers will not be returning to the office on June 15, as had previously been announced.
According to THR, the network has extended its work-from-home mandate “through at least the end of July,” Fox Corp human resources chief Kevin Lord said in a memo sent to staff this morning.
“This new timing for our first phase of reopening will ensure that our physical locations are prepared, our new safety procedures are implemented, and our on-floor experience and protocols are in place before you are on site again,” Lord wrote. “Rest assured that we will provide you with ample notice before we begin reopening.”
The company should “not expect [its] full workforce to be back on site in a pre-Covid manner until the fall at the earliest,” Lord noted in the memo.
He added: “I know this is hard for many of you who are anxious to return and may also be a relief for others. Regardless of when you are back in your work location, we will meet and exceed the health and safety guidelines of federal, state and local officials. We will be ready at every phase of the reopening process and look forward to seeing you on site when the time is right.”
On April 3, as America was on the upswing of the Covid-19 crisis, Fox News chief executive Suzanne Scott and Fox News president and executive editor Jay Wallace announced that the network was targeting May 4 as a return-to-office date. Weeks later, the return date became June 15. Now, we’re approaching August, if not later, as a potential return-to-office date.
Last Wednesday, WarnerMedia news and sports chairman and CNN worldwide president Jeff Zucker told CNN employees, “The majority of you will not be able to return to our offices this calendar year.”
It remains to be seen what other networks will do going forward.