Google’s New York office faces bed bug issue, employees told to stay home

A bedbug outbreak has reportedly forced staff at Google’s Chelsea office in New York to work remotely while exterminators handled the issue.

According to a report, employees were informed via email that “credible evidence” of a potential bed bug infestation had been found, and they were instructed to stay home as the building underwent treatment. Pest control teams were brought in quickly, and the site was said to have been cleaned and debugged before the next working day.

Employees at Google's Chelsea campus in Manhattan, USA faced a bug issue at work

The internal email reportedly also stated that Google urged employees to report any signs of bed bug bites or sightings in the office. Those who discovered bed bugs at home were advised to reach out to professional exterminators.

Sources claimed the infestation might have originated from “a number of large stuffed animals” kept in the office, though this claim couldn’t be confirmed.

As a precaution, Google is conducting further inspections at other New York locations, including its Hudson Square campus. The incident comes soon after Google announced restrictions to its “work from anywhere” (WFA) policy, which limited employees’ ability to work from different destinations or extend holidays. The company said that due to “legal and financial implications of cross-border work,” staff would also no longer be allowed to use WFA allowances to work from home or nearby.

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