Some NFL office workers are "resisting an order to return to the league’s Manhattan headquarters, contending that the reopening has been rushed and has not been fully thought through," according to two employees and an internal email cited by Kelly & Belson of the N.Y. TIMES. In a letter sent to NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell on Wednesday, reps from an internal group, the Parents Initiative Network, said "many of us continue to struggle with the prospect of returning to the office in the midst of the pandemic." League officials have said that allowances "will be made for employees with particular health concerns or family challenges." But the parent network "took issue with that, too," wanting to "maintain their own and their family members’ privacy." NFL Chief People Officer Dasha Smith said that the league had "accommodated everyone who had asked for flexibility" and that workers "will only need to return to the office a few days a week." Kelly & Belson reported after bringing back around 25% of employees in late June, league officials have "laid the groundwork for a more complete employee return to Park Avenue" starting Aug. 17. During an "all-hands virtual call held Monday, Smith said she received 300 queries from employees on the chat function, ranging from requests for clarification on the safety protocols to expressions of concern about the repercussions of not returning." Participants indicated that questions also were "raised about whether employees would be fired for not coming in." League officials said that was not going to occur (N.Y. TIMES, 8/8).
