Google to offer paid leaves to employees who can't work due to coronavirus

Google has set up funds to avail paid sick leaves to those employees or hired on a contract basis who are unable to work due to coronavirus symptoms or either has been quarantine.

The tech giant is setting up a COVID 19 fund so that those who have been infected by coronavirus or either quarantined -- employees, temporary staff and those working on contract basis -- can be accomated for paid leaves.

On Tuesday, Adrienne Crowther, Director, Workplace Services at Google, in a blog said, "Working with our partners, this fund will mean that members of our extended workforce will be compensated for their normal working hours if they can't come into work for these reasons."

First COVID 19 case in Google's Bengaluru office, staff to work-from-home

Google's Bengaluru office on Friday issued a statement asking its Bangalore office employees to work from home after one worker tested positive for coronavirus.

"The employee has been on quarantine since then, and we have asked colleagues who were in close contact with the employee to quarantine themselves and monitor their health," Google said in a statement.

"Out of an abundance of caution, we are asking employees in that Bengaluru office to work from home from tomorrow. We have taken & will continue to take necessary precautionary measures, following the advice of public health officials," Google said. 

Karnataka Health Department officials said on Thursday the 26-year old man -- the Google employee --, who had returned from Greece, has tested positive for coronavirus.

ALSO READ | Trump declares national emergency over coronavirus

ALSO READ | 'Sort of weird feeling but...': Trump after greeting Irish PM with 'namaste' | Watch