Fox Corp. Pushes Return-To-Work Date To September, Marks Two Years As Stand-Alone Entity After Disney Deal

Fox Corp. has informed its employees that the earliest date they will be returning to the office will be September 7, right after Labor Day.

The previous forecast issued last fall was for a return no earlier than April. While coronavirus infection and vaccination rates are moving in positive directions, conditions have not yet reached a point where the previous timeline was feasible.

“While we spent the last year working in new, and often remote, ways, you have continued to prioritize caring for each other,” CEO Lachlan Murdoch wrote in a memo to employees. “Similarly, the health and safety of our workforce has remained my priority. With that as the guiding principle, we are deferring our next possible phase one reopening date to no earlier than September 7.”

Murdoch also marked the approaching two-year anniversary of a milestone deal that saw most of Fox Corp.’s predecessor, 21st Century Fox, acquired by Disney. That $71.3 billion deal officially closed on March 20, 2019. After the transaction, Fox embarked on a chapter as a TV-centric, streamlined company based around assets like the Fox broadcast network and Fox News.

“The financial and operational excellence that Fox has delivered over the past two years is a direct result of your commitment, ingenuity, and passion,” Murdoch wrote.

Fox Corp. chairman Rupert Murdoch recently turned 90. As was the case a year ago, plans for a celebration were curtailed due to Covid-19 safety considerations.

Here is the full memo from Lachlan Murdoch:

Dear Colleagues,

This week we mark the two-year anniversary of Fox Corporation. The company’s founding was rooted in our belief in the strength of our core brands, the power of leading news, sports and entertainment content, and our legacy of innovation. The businesses that underpin FOX are thriving, and we have grown and diversified with the acquisitions of Tubi and Credible as well as our joint venture FOX Bet. The financial and operational excellence that FOX has delivered over the past two years is a direct result of your commitment, ingenuity, and passion. What makes this company great is the great people who work here.

Beyond the accomplishments of our business, we have been enormously successful in cultivating a collaborative and caring culture. Your support for each other, particularly during the ongoing challenges of the pandemic, has exemplified the FOX family mentality. While we spent the last year working in new, and often remote, ways, you have continued to prioritize caring for each other. Similarly, the health and safety of our workforce has remained my priority. With that as the guiding principle, we are deferring our next possible phase one reopening date to no earlier than September 7, immediately after Labor Day.

While I wish we could celebrate this anniversary milestone together, I want to recognize and thank you for your contribution to the company. In the spirit of leaving a positive and lasting impact on the lives of our viewers and the communities we serve, FOX worked with our philanthropic partner U.S. VETS to modernize the career center in its South Los Angeles facility. Veterans at that U.S. VETS facility will now have access to new computers, printers, and furniture, creating the optimal space to assist them with resume writing, job applications, mock interviews and other professional needs. The revitalized career center, which was donated on behalf of the entire FOX organization, is a living tribute to you.

Thank you for an impressive and impactful first two years – and here is to many more.

Warmly,

Lachlan Murdoch

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