Growing concern over the spread of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) is prompting companies across North Carolina to reconsider workplace arrangements. Several companies major events have closed offices and are now requiring employees to work remotely in the wake of Governor Roy Cooper’s state of emergency declaration and the UNC System’s move to remote instruction starting next week.

Late Monday, Google Fiber announced it was closing down offices and stoppingoutside sales efforts. However, the company says it will continue new installations – for now.

Google Fiber has offices in Raleigh and Charlotte.

As WRAL TechWire works to stay on top of these changes and keep our readers informed, we’re running a live blog with employer updates across North Carolina.

General updates:

Employer updates:

(Please let us know at callam@wral.com if you are instituting mandatory, optional or other work-from-home policies. Sharing this information is helpful to companies and employees across the North Carolina ecosystem.)

  • Cisco: implemented mandatory work from home policy for certain locations, where there are a concentrated number of cases; also encouraged employees to work from home if they feel more comfortable.
  • IBM: Instituting a work-from-home policy.
  • Red Hat: Starting March 13, asked Red Hatters to work from home, regardless of where they are based; defaulting to virtual engagements with others where possible, including customers, business partners and suppliers; restricting Red Hatter travel outside of their home countries unless there is a business-critical travel exception; requiring any Red Hatter who travels to restricted areas, comes into contact with anyone who developed virus-like symptoms, or develops possible virus-like symptoms, to self-isolate for 14 days.
  • SAS: implemented telecommuting in some regional offices globally; SAS has always had a flexible work-from-home policy that allows employees to work with their manager on arrangements that suit them personally.
  • NC TECH: transitioned to providing its employees with a remote work option, with office visits occurring only on an as-needed basis; adjusting calendar of events as needed, where all updates will be noted; exploring virtual events to complement offerings.
  • Lenovo: offices remain open; recommending any employee who feels more comfortable in working from home and whose responsibilities can be performed remotely, should do so.

Here’s how some co-working spaces in the Triangle are handling the Covid-19 crisis

  • Infosys: invoking work-from-home policy for employees at the Raleigh Innovation Hub and its satellite office in Charlotte starting March 16; Raleigh Innovation Hub location will be closed.
  • RIoT: encouraging employees to work from home; working to convert visits to RIoT Labs to phone calls/virtual meetings; reaching out to sponsors and partners and encouraging to postpone “Lunch and Learn” series (eight per month across Raleigh, Durham, Charlotte, Atlanta); cancelling travel for March and April.
  • Fidelity Investments: all employees who are able to work remotely are instructed to do so; asked them to be prepared to work from home for as long as one month, Investor Centers remain open at this time for customers.
  • K4Connect: Enacted a work-from-home policy across the organization.
  • Dude Solutions: Offices remain open; preparing to shift to a fully remote workforce if necessary and poised to make the decision immediately as the situation develops.
  • Get Spiffy: Offices remain open; watching for there to be 100 confirmed cases in the Triangle (.01% of the population) and then will do a rolling two week work-from-home program.
  • Skema Business School: Facilities closed, but classes are continuing online.
  • WeWork: No closures at this time.
  • PrecisionHawk: instituted a temporary modified work policy, closing offices until further notice.
  • Pendo: Starting March 16, employees are encouraged to work from home.
  • Advance Auto Parts: corporate headquarters in Raleigh, as well as its other offices around the country, are closed;  instituted a mandatory work-at-home policy with target re-open date of March 30; restricted travel for all Team Members through April 30, unless there is a business-critical travel need. All of the Advance Auto Parts retail stores are open for business.
  • American Underground: Offices are still open; suspending all events indefinitely and moving those to virtual gatherings via Google Hangouts, requesting no guests come to AU for meetings or tours by our members; switching to paper coffee cups from our reusable mugs and placing additional hand sanitizing stations in high traffic areas throughout the AU.
  • North Carolina Biotechnology Center: Facility remains open for business, including  conference and meeting facilities, though some events already scheduled for the conference center have been canceled by their sponsors;  liberalized cancellation policy for those who choose to cancel or postpone their events/meetings less than 30 days before the event; offering video conferencing capabilities.
  • TransLoc: initiated an indefinite work-from-home policy.
  • Terra Dotta: implemented a work-from-home environment for all employees as of March 13 at 1pm ET and will continue to monitor the status of the coronavirus and make adjustments as necessary.

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