CNN Sets Date to Reopen Offices for All Employees; Will Require Masks and Potentially Boosters

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CNN President Jeff Zucker has announced to network employees that they may return to in-person work on a voluntary basis beginning on Jan. 18.

CNN’s Oliver Darcy announced the shift in policy on Twitter Wednesday, weeks after the network told all non-essential office employees that they would need to work remotely until further notice out off an abundance of caution amid a surge in Covid-19 cases.

Network senior media correspondent Brian Stelter announced the shift to remote working for most employees on Dec. 18.

“Like other major media companies, CNN is making changes due to the new Covid surge,” Stelter tweeted.

Like other major media companies, CNN is making changes due to the new Covid surge. CNN offices are closing “to all employees who do not have to be in the office to do their jobs,” per internal memo tonight. Back to 2020 protocols, essentially.

— Brian Stelter (@brianstelter) December 19, 2021

Stelter cited an internal memo, which stated offices would close “to all employees who do not have to be in the office to do their jobs.”

“We are doing this out of an abundance of caution,” the memo added. “And it will also protect those who will be in the office by minimizing the number of people who are there.”

“We are doing this out of an abundance of caution,” CNN internal memo adds. “And it will also protect those who will be in the office by minimizing the number of people who are there.” TV news 101: Networks always have to ensure that control rooms and shows can remain on the air.

— Brian Stelter (@brianstelter) December 19, 2021

Darcy reported that those who choose to return to work must wear either KF94/KN95 masks while in control rooms, per a directive from Zucker. The CNN president also expects to enact a booster requirement soon for those who wish to come back into its offices.

Jeff Zucker emails CNN staff to say that US offices will reopen Jan. 18 for employees who voluntarily want to go in. Zucker says masks will be required and KF94/KN95 masks must be worn in control rooms. Zucker says he expects boosters to be “at some point” required for entry.

— Oliver Darcy (@oliverdarcy) January 5, 2022

Quoting Zucker, Darcy further reported that the network president hoped to have all employees back by Jan. 24, but that he had ruled that target date was no longer “realistic.”

Zucker adds that the Jan. 24 full office reopening that had been planned is “no longer realistic.”

“My hope is that we will not need to push that date too much further into the future. We will continue to keep you posted…”

— Oliver Darcy (@oliverdarcy) January 5, 2022

“My hope is that we will not need to push that date too much further into the future,” Zucker reportedly told network employees. “We will continue to keep you posted…”

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