UPDATE: Yandex, VimpelCom recommend staff work remotely

(Adds information in headline, lede, last three paragraphs)

MOSCOW, Mar 13 (PRIME) -- Russian Internet company Yandex has recommended its employees who can work remotely stay at home from March 16 because of the coronavirus pandemic, and mobile operator VimpelCom follows suit, according to letters to staff, seen by PRIME on Friday.

“The (Yandex) offices will be open, but we advise to come to work only in case of real necessity,” the letter read.

If employees have to come to the office, the company also recommends avoiding public transport in the rush hours and will compensate taxi trips and Yandex.Drive, the company’s car-sharing service, from home to the office and back.

All meetings via video conferences will be held, and all decisions will be made, the company said.

Yandex said such plans are in force for the coming week, and a decision whether to prolong the regime will be made at the end of the week starting on March 16.

VimpelCom, working under brand Beeline, has also allowed its employees to switch to remote work from March 16 unit the end of March to avoid the virus’ expansion, according to a letter sent to the staff by acting General Director Viktor Biryukov.

The company launched program BeeFREE, making it possible for employees to work outside the office several days per week.

VimpelCom will also transfer all its internal events with more than 50 participants into online.

End