Activision Blizzard Removes Company Vaccine Mandate, Work From Home To Stop

Activision Blizzard really haven’t been in anyone’s good books in the last year. Last July marked the beginning of an onslaught of lawsuits against the company, with allegations of unfair labour practices, sexual harassment, misogyny, and a festering “frat boy” culture. 

If there weren’t already enough questions raised about their working environment, it’s now been revealed that the company is scrapping the mandate for employees working from offices to be fully vaccinated against Covid-19, effective immediately, in the hopes of getting people working together in person again.

In case you need catching up on the allegations against Activision Blizzard, take a look at the video below.

As reported by Kotaku, this information was sent out to all employees in an email by Activision Blizzard’s chief administrative officer, Brian Bulatao, yesterday. The full email was shared by Jessica Gonzalez of ABK Worker’s Alliance, and states that the company “feel it is important to align our site protocols with local guidance” as other businesses and indoor venues in the U.S lift vaccine requirements. 

“While this change in policy addresses our current state in the pandemic, we know the situation is ever-evolving and we will continue to monitor the risks for COVID-19 in all areas where we operate,” the email reads. “We recognise that returning to the office looks different across our business units and even within our business units. We also recognise that different sites are in various stages of return. While this change may not have an immediate impact on those who are still working remotely, we wanted to communicate this now so that you have sufficient time to prepare.”

While the email states that the company “looks forward” to the return of employees into office, it adds: “We recognise you may have personal circumstances you’d like to discuss with your manager and HRBP.” Whether that means that some people will be able to continue working from home is unknown at this point.

“As we define what the future of work looks like, I want to remind us all of the benefits of in-person collaboration,” the email continues. “In order to ensure we all have a safe workspace where we can gather with colleagues and innovate together, it is essential we stay committed to protecting ourselves and others.”