Airbnb says employees can opt to work remotely until August 2021

(Reuters) - Short-term home rental company Airbnb Inc said on Wednesday its employees could choose to work remotely through the end of August 2021, even if some of its offices reopened as COVID-19 restrictions ease.

The company said it would provide a $300 stipend for home office equipment, with an additional $200 to cover ergonomic equipment.

Airbnb said its employees will also have the option to temporarily relocate to states and countries where the company is set up to support them.

U.S. guests were increasingly using its platform to support remote working and temporary relocations, Airbnb said.

The volume of reviews by U.S. guests mentioning "remote working" or "work remotely" since the start of the pandemic has nearly tripled from the same period last year, according to the home rental company. (https://bit.ly/3hziTXk)

Airbnb last week filed confidentially for an initial public offering with U.S. regulators, underscoring a rebound in parts of the travel industry, battered this year by the pandemic.

(Reporting by Sanjana Shivdas in Bengaluru; Editing by Ramakrishnan M.)