Goldman Sachs is lifting COVID-19 vaccination requirements in most offices next month

Goldman Sachs CEO David Solomon has made no bones of his desire to get staffers back to the office.

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• Goldman Sachs will launch new Covid-19 policy Sept. 6 in most offices, according to memo.
• New York City staff still expected to follow previous policy or show proof of vaccination exemption.
• CEO David Solomon called remote work an 'aberration' at 2021 finance forum, reports say.

Goldman Sachs will do away with all of its Covid-19 requirements in most offices starting in September.

In a memo Tuesday, the banking company announced that employees will no longer have to be vaccinated, take a test, or wear face coverings to enter its offices — except those in New York City and Lima, Peru —  starting in September, according to memo excerpts obtained by Insider.

The policy is in response to new federal health guidelines by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which say vaccinations, treatments, and tests have "greatly reduced the risk of severe illness, hospitalization, and death from COVID-19 for many people."

Unvaccinated New York City employees still will be required to provide proof of religious or medical exemption to get into the office, according to the memo.

"Those without an approved exemption and who do not meet the New York City vaccine mandate should continue to work remotely," the memo reads.

A company representative told Insider these changes are not a part of Goldman Sachs' return to office policy – employees have been expected to work in-person since last year.

The finance giant has pushed for a full return to the office since June 2021, and workers have been expected to show up five days a week since February, the New York Post reported. 

According to the NY Post, the bank still is accommodating employees who are concerned about Covid for a range of reasons – like living with elderly family members or being immunocompromised.

However, Tuesday's memo encouraged employees still working remotely to speak with their managers about "current return to work expectations."

CEO David Solomon slammed remote work at a financial services forum in 2021. Like JPMorgan CEO Jamie Dimon, Solomon said he believes remote work "is not ideal" for their industry, a report from CNBC said.

"It's an aberration that we're going to correct as quickly as possible," Solomon said.

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