LOS ANGELES — Thousands of California tech workers are working from home, as employers balance daily business operations with the need to protect their employees from a growing health crisis, amid the coronavirus pandemic. 

“It’s definitely changing the way we do things,” said Hawke Media CEO Erik Huberman, who told his employees to stay remote as of March 13. It's the most recent way the pandemic has taken a toll on his business. 

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Hawke Media is a digital marketing agency based in West Los Angeles with about 150 employees.

Huberman said his clients who rely on manufacturing in China took a hit months ago, reducing their marketing budgets. Then, the cancellation of major – and minor – business events like South by Southwest handicapped his ability to attract new clients. 

“A lot of our business is done at events, and that’s literally all canceled,” Huberman said.

But Huberman says tech is built for this with a work force accustomed to flexible schedules and, in many cases, unlimited paid time off. Many companies are already doing what tech does best: innovate. 

For Hawke Media, that includes launching a new product: digital networking.

Invitations are already in the mail for an event you can attend without leaving the house. 

It’s aptly named: The Quarantine Conference.

For the latest updates on COVID-19, go to coronavirus.gov.