Facebook to give staff $1,000 coronavirus bonuses
The firm is also offering $100m to help small businesses cope with the economic impact of the outbreak
Facebook is giving $1,000 (£825) bonuses to its employees to support them during the coronavirus pandemic.
Mark Zuckerberg, Facebook's chief executive, made the announcement in an internal note on March 17, BBC reported.
The social media giant employs nearly 45,000 full-time staff across the globe, with thousands more contract workers.
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The firm is also offering $100m to help small businesses cope with the economic impact of the outbreak.
As well as the cash bonuses, employees will also get the highest performance review ratings, ensuring they receive their normal twice yearly bonuses.
For small businesses, Facebook has set aside $100m for 30,000 eligible firms across the 30-plus countries where Facebook operates. These will be in the form of "cash grants and ad credits to help during this challenging time," it said.
"We want to do more," said chief operating officer Sheryl Sandberg in a Facebook post. "Teams across our company are working every day to help businesses".
Along with other tech giants, including Google and Twitter, Facebook has asked staff to work from home. This includes its Seattle office after the virus spread across the state of Washington.
In February, Facebook cancelled its F8 annual software developers conference and has pulled out of more events this month.
