Anthropic told employees at its San Francisco offices to work from home this week after the company was warned that security workers at its facilities could go on strike, according to Business Insider.
The AI company received notice last week from Allied Universal, the security staffing firm that employs guards at its offices, that a labor action was possible. Anthropic subsequently instructed employees not to report to its San Francisco offices on Monday and Tuesday as a precaution, Business Insider reported.
The situation, however, appears to have been based on a potential strike rather than a confirmed walkout.
READ: Anthropic in talks to buy Decart AI for $60 billion (August 13, 2026)
The Service Employees International Union (SEIU), which represents Allied security workers, told Business Insider that it had not called a strike authorization vote or issued a strike threat for this week. The union said it remains involved in extended contract negotiations with Allied and other California security companies over issues including pay, healthcare and training.
Allied Universal did not respond to Business Insider’s request for comment, while Anthropic also declined to comment on the decision to have employees work remotely.
The temporary remote-work directive is notable because Anthropic operates under a hybrid work policy. Job postings indicate that employees are generally expected to work from the office at least 25% of the time.
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The company has also been increasing its security measures as it expands rapidly and develops increasingly powerful AI systems. The move comes amid broader concerns across the technology industry about physical security at AI companies.
Anthropic, the developer of Claude, has grown rapidly as competition in the generative AI market intensifies. The company has also attracted significant investor interest, with its valuation reportedly reaching about $1.5 trillion on secondary markets, according to Business Insider.
The company confidentially filed a draft registration statement for an initial public offering in June, and a public listing could come as early as this year, Business Insider reported.
For now, Anthropic’s decision to keep San Francisco employees away from its offices highlights how labor disputes involving contractors can affect operations at major technology companies, even when a threatened strike has not actually been called.