US Wall Street Sees Remote and Hybrid Work Expanding at Seattle IT Firms Amid COVID-19 Fear Spread...

[Image source=Reuters Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Hyunwoo Lee] As the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19) rapidly spreads in the United States, especially in hotspots like New York and Seattle, companies are increasingly adopting work-from-home and split-shift arrangements.

According to foreign media such as CNBC, on the 5th (local time), global financial firms on Wall Street in New York have entered emergency response mode related to COVID-19, resulting in more cases of remote work and split shifts. JP Morgan decided to disperse about half of its traders and sales staff in New York and London to nearby suburban workspaces.

In a memo sent to employees on the 5th, JP Morgan management stated, "Dispersing our workforce to different locations is intended to reduce health risks from physical contact and to enhance our capacity to continue serving clients." Other financial firms, including Goldman Sachs and Citigroup, are also reportedly reviewing their response plans.

IT companies in Seattle are also experiencing a surge in work-from-home practices. On the 5th, Google recommended its Seattle employees to work from home, and Facebook decided to close its Seattle office until the 9th. Earlier, Amazon, headquartered in Seattle, recommended work-from-home until the end of this month after one employee tested positive on the 3rd. Ride-hailing company Lyft advised employees in the San Francisco area to work from home after one employee was identified as a contact case.

According to CNN, as of 2 p.m. on the same day, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported 205 confirmed COVID-19 cases and 12 deaths in the United States. The virus is spreading rapidly, mainly in the eastern and western regions of the U.S.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.