Goldman Sachs Group Inc has asked its U.S. employees to report their COVID-19 vaccination status by Thursday afternoon as the Wall Street bank plans their return to the office, according to a memo seen by Reuters.

The New York-based investment bank, which has nearly 40,000 employees around the world, is planning to bring U.S. employees back to the office by mid-June. 

It said in the memo it was mandatory for employees to submit their vaccination status.

"While we strongly encourage you to receive a COVID-19 vaccine, we understand that the choice to get vaccinated is a personal one," the bank said.

The return-to-office push gained momentum in March when Chief Executive Officer David Solomon said the bank owes it to its incoming class of analysts and interns to have them come to work in offices.

Banks globally are adopting different methods to ensure a successful back to office plan, including hybrid working models and vaccination drives. 

(Reporting by Noor Zainab Hussain in Bengaluru; Editing by Aditya Soni) ((noor.hussain@thomsonreuters.com; Within U.S. +1 646 223 8780; Outside U.S. +91 80 6182 2663 or +91 80 3796 2663 ;))