INDIANAPOLIS — Eli Lilly and Company announced its plans to bring employees back to the office.
Company Chairman and CEO David E. Ricks said 25 percent of employees will be invited back to the downtown headquarters Tuesday, June 1 but must be vaccinated to return to in-person work. Masks will still be required indoors and social distancing will take place.
Ricks said this will give Lilly the opportunity to warm up the facility for a full return of employees, which is scheduled for Monday, July 12.
"We learned a lot about how to do remote work during this pandemic, and we want to embrace the opportunity to have more flexibility for our employees while maintaining a vibrant workplace," Ricks said.
RELATED: Holcomb to reinstate requirement that unemployment claimants actively seek, be available for work
According to Ricks, about 4,000 Lilly employees still went to work at the downtown headquarters during the COVID-19 pandemic, but around 7,000 employees have been working mostly from home over the past year.
"We're looking forward to seeing downtown Indianapolis thrive again as more people return to their offices, jobs and restaurants," Ricks said. "The best way for all of us to expedite that process is for Hoosiers to get vaccinated."
Indianapolis Mayor Joe Hogsett also thanked Hoosiers who have already been vaccinated and encouraged those to sign up who have not been vaccinated.
"Today represents a turning point: As more Marion County residents are vaccinated, we can go back to doing more of the things that we love, the things that make our community special, while at the same time, boosting our economy and empowering our community," Hogsett said.
According to the Indiana State Department of Health, more than 2 million people in Indiana are fully vaccinated, which is nearly 40 percent of the adult population.
What other people are reading:
- Ascension St. Vincent investing $325 million in 86th Street campus
- Multiple people detained after shooting at Kokomo Chuck E. Cheese
- Indiana couple arrested after 3-year-old daughter tests positive for meth, fentanyl
- Two Marian University grads overcome medical school and COVID-19 battles to get their diplomas
- Social media helps son locate biological mother after 20 years apart