Bedbugs are following workers back to the office

"More workers are heading into the office with laptops, lattes - and, in some cases, bedbugs. Google sent a memo over the weekend informing New York City employees that it was treating its Chelsea campus offices for the pests."

"The company's Real Estate & Workplace Services team "was recently informed of a possible bed bug issue at our Chelsea campus," the Sunday memo, acquired by Business Insider, said. "Today, exterminators inspected the NYC-9TH, Chelsea Market, 8510, and Pier 57 buildings with a sniffer dog and found credible evidence of their presence. Initial treatment has been completed on the affected floors of the Chelsea campus.""

""These are what we tend to call 'take-your-bedbug-to-work events,'" said Gil Bloom, an entomologist who is president of Standard Pest Management in New York. "They're primarily hitchhiking, unfortunately, from home environments" via items like backpacks and clothing. Bedbug issues in New York haven't reached the level they were prior to the pandemic - but there's been an uptick in sightings at commercial locations since life began returning to normal, Bloom told Business Insider."

Google treated its Chelsea campus after exterminators using a sniffer dog found credible evidence of bedbugs on multiple buildings and initial treatment was completed on affected floors. Bedbugs are reappearing in offices as employees return from remote work, carried from homes on backpacks, clothing, and personal items. An entomologist described these as 'take-your-bedbug-to-work events' and reported an uptick in commercial sightings in New York, though levels remain below pre-pandemic. Other employers have faced incidents requiring staff relocation and building treatment. Employers should establish protocols to manage infestations and reduce legal exposure.

Read at Business Insider