Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker announced on Friday that some of the largest companies in the state have agreed to allow their employees to continue working remotely.
"As we start to transition to slowly reopening our economy, it's become more and more critical for remote work to continue so that we can continue to fight COVID-19 and to fight the spread of infection," Baker said. "Public health experts have made clear that large numbers of people in enclosed spaces is exactly how this virus spreads."
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Blue Cross Blue Shield, Wayfair, Raytheon, MassMutual and Takeda are among the companies that have committed to remote operations. Together these companies employ around 150,000 people, Baker said.
The Baker administration is expected to release on Monday its four-phase plan for reopening the economy. While few details are known, the first phase of the plan is expected to allow workers with little face-to-face contact with other employees or customers to go back to work.
Baker said he would be extending his order closing all non-essential businesses by 24 hours as a housekeeping measure to avoid confusion. The order is set to expire Sunday at midnight.
Since late March, about half of the executive branch workforce has been working remotely or from home and will continue doing so for the foreseeable future.
"By extending work from home policies and remote work policies, employers in many cases are supporting their employees, especially those that are at high risk, and at the same time fighting back against the virus by preventing more spread," the governor said.
