apple: Apple to give employees work from home bonus

For the fourth time, Cupertino-based tech giant has delayed its back to office plans. Apple was supposed to bring employees back to office from February 1, 2022. However, a report by Bloomberg reveals that Apple has once again pushed back the idea as the new Omicron Covid-19 variant spreads across the world.
The report also states Apple will give employees $1,000 bonus, which they can spend on work from home gear. Apple also has reportedly told employees that it will give them a month’s notice before determining the actual date to get back to offices.
Apple had intended to start its hybrid work plans in June 2021 where employees were expected to come to office three days a week. With Covid-19 showing little signs of slowing down, Apple had delayed its plan to September. However, that too was delayed and now a new date hasn’t been determined.
Apple has also closed three retail stores — temporarily — in the US as there has been a surge in Covid-19 cases. The stores that have been shut are in Miami, Maryland and Ottawa. Apple has brought the mandatory mask mandate in its US stores as well. The mask mandate had been lifted for customers but is now back. A report by Bloomberg, at almost half of Apple Stores in the US, it wasn’t required for customers to wear masks. However, Apple has said that masks are once gain mandatory to “support the wellbeing of customers and employees.”
“Amid rising cases in many communities, we now require that all customers join our team members in wearing masks while visiting our stores,” the company said in a statement earlier this week.