The move represents a reversal of strategy from plans to end working from home by the end of 2021.

“I am more grateful than I can express to each of you for your willingness to embrace change over the past few months,” said Julie Rath, American vice president for customer experience and reservations.

“You’ve shown that with the right attitude and the right support, we can continue to provide the high level of service our customers expect, no matter how – or where – we work.

“For this reason, I am happy to announce that we are expanding our national home rep program and no longer have any plans to phase out the program,” said Rath.

Rath said local employees who do not wish to work from home, but wish to keep their jobs, can be transferred to a position at the Raleigh-Durham, Dallas-Fort Worth and Phoenix reservation offices.

American said that so far this year it has hired 440 employees for its RDU reservation workforce.

“This is part of our goal to hire a total of over 800 new North Carolina reservations team members by the end of the year,” the airline said.

US Airways Group Inc.’s local reservation center lost 1,132 jobs between August 2004 and October 2005, reaching a low of 468 employees.