David Ellison is preparing to call Paramount's remote employees back to the office — with some exceptions

• Paramount is preparing to tell many of its remote employees that they will be required to work in-person.
• Some employees on certain teams, including streaming tech and ad operations, will be exempt, a person familiar with the decision said.
• David Ellison's company previously instituted a five-day RTO mandate for staffers who live near its NY and LA offices.

Remote workers at Paramount Skydance may soon need to decide whether to hire a moving company or update their résumés.

Paramount is preparing to tell many remote employees that they'll be required to work in person, even if they don't live near an office, Business Insider has learned.

Some employees on certain teams — including streaming tech and ad operations — will be exempt, a person familiar with the decision said.

The new RTO mandate will mark "Phase 2" of the in-person work push under Paramount CEO David Ellison. In September, Paramount told thousands of employees assigned to its New York or Los Angeles offices that they'd need to work in person five days a week starting in January.

Paramount previously told employees that Phase 2 RTO details would be announced in 2026. This second RTO push will eventually impact international workers and staffers hired for fully remote positions, including those outside the New York and Los Angeles metro areas.

Ellison told staffers in January that "returning to the office full-time has been an adjustment for many" and that he appreciated "the flexibility and commitment you've shown" in returning to the office, Business Insider reported.

Other major media companies have called workers back to the office in recent years, though most still allow at least some remote work.

Most Disney employees go into the office four days a week, and NBCUniversal put in a four-day-per-week RTO mandate in January. Meanwhile, WBD staffers go in three days a week, and Netflix has a fully remote option.