Amid the resurgence of the new COVID-19 omicron variant, Apple has once again decided to delay the corporate employees’ return to offices. Reportedly, the Cupertino tech giant had set February 1, 2022, as the time for employees to return to the office after multiple delays.
In June this year, CEO Tim Cook informed the corporate staff of the hybrid return to office in September. But the September date was pushed to October due to an increase in COVID-19 positive cases and even October’s return to office date was pushed to February 2022. Now, when the Cupertino tech giant is compelled to delay the return to the office once again, it has not set a return date.
Apple corporate employees not given a date of return to offices in 2022
@Zoë Schiffer from NBC news posted on Twitter that Apple corporate will not be returning to offices any time. Quoting an internal memo, she wrote company has not decided when will the corporate staff will be in offices but it has given them $1000 dollars to upgrade their devices for smooth workflow at home.
BREAKING: Tim Cook just sent out an email delaying Apple’s return to work to a date “yet to be determined.” He also said the company is giving every corporate employee $1,000 to spend on home office equipment.
But the company has not mentioned the precautionary health measure for its retail employees. Recently, it was reported that Apple Store in Texas has shut down for 10 days after a COVID-19 outbreak among the retail employees. The affected staff members complained that COVID-19 related SOPs were not followed at the store, and the situation got worse during the Black Friday sale. They also accused the store’s manager of calling in sick staff members to work under the assumption that symptoms in vaccinated people were common viral flu.
Previously, it was reported that the tech giant will follow a strict testing policy for unvaccinated employees; unvaccinated corporate employees will be tested every time they will enter an office and unvaccinated retail employees will be tested twice per week. According to the retail employees, there is a huge discrepancy between corporate policies and their implementation on the ground.
This is not the first time retail employees have complained of feeling ignored by senior management at Apple Park. And to delay the return of corporate employees to offices due to health concerns while retail employees are working in stores might aggravate their grievances.
