Anthropic WFH order follows strike notice at its San Francisco offices

SEIU covers thousands of security workers across California and has been pushing for a new contract since April, seeking higher wages, better healthcare, and more training.

The confusion between building management and the union could complicate Anthropic's operations heading into an expected IPO. The company filed a confidential S-1 draft with the SEC in June and could go public as soon as August, according to earlier reports. On secondary markets, investors have valued the AI startup at roughly $1.5 billion.

Anthropic declined to comment on the work-from-home mandate. The company generally expects staff to be in the office at least 25% of the time under its hybrid policy, according to job postings.

Security has become a bigger concern across the AI industry. The Wall Street Journal has reported that both Anthropic and OpenAI dealt with multiple threats against employees in recent months. A building lockout, even temporary, adds a new layer of operational risk for a company preparing to file publicly just as labor negotiations at its own office enter a sensitive phase.