Apple delays return to office, announces $1,000 bonus to all employees
Previously, Apple staff were anticipated to return to work on February 1, 2022, as part of a hybrid work trial launched last month.
FollowApple, situated in Cupertino, has pushed back the day when its corporate staff will return to work. Bloomberg cited an email from CEO Tim Cook as saying that the return to work date is "still to be established." According to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, he also revealed that Apple would provide all workers $1,000 (approximately Rs 76,216) to utilise for work-from-home purposes. An Apple spokeswoman later verified the news to The Verge, stating that the $1,000 (approximately Rs 76,200) bonus will be given to all employees, including retail employees. The delay occurs when COVID-19 cases and the Omicron variant spread worldwide.
Previously, Apple staff were anticipated to return to work on February 1, 2022, as part of a hybrid work trial launched last month. The corporation modified its preparations due to the unclear COVID-19 pandemic scenario worldwide. Therefore the February 1, 2022 deadline was itself a delayed back-to-office date. Due to increased COVID-19 infections in the region, Apple shuttered three retail shops in the United States and Canada this week. Furthermore, Apple began asking customers to wear masks inside retail locations earlier this week.
In some regions of the world, such as the United Kingdom, the Omicron version of the SARS-COV-2 virus, also known as the new coronavirus, has been rising. Several instances of the Omicron form have also been identified in India, raising concerns that the third wave of the COVID-19 pandemic is on its way.
Also Read | Google employees may lose pay, get fired for not complying with vaccination rules: Report
In other news, according to internal documents acquired by CNBC, Google has advised its staff that if they do not comply with the Covid-19 immunisation policy, they may lose their jobs. Employees had until December 3 to reveal their vaccination status, present proof of immunisation, or request a medical or religious exemption, according to a statement delivered by leadership.
