Apple is encouraging its staff to receive the COVID-19 vaccines by offering paid time off. The company is offering to cover appointment times as well as paid sick leave for any member that happens to experience side effects from the vaccine.
In a report from Bloomberg, those familiar with the matter stated that Apple has informed its staff of the paid time off stipulations. Additionally, the company told staff that it does not have access to vaccines and would be unable to provide the shots to its workers.
Since the advent of the pandemic, Apple has been supportive of its staff, offering paid time off for those who underwent symptoms of the COVID-19 virus. Remote work was also initiated for most corporate employees as well as retail staff members when the situation called for it. Although many retail staff members have returned to work within the Apple Stores, many corporate staff members continue to work remotely.
In late 2020, Apple CEO Tim Cook held a town hall meeting and informed staff that remote work orders would likely remain until June at very least.
“There’s no replacement for face-to-face collaboration, but we have also learned a great deal about how we can get our work done outside of the office without sacrificing productivity or results,” said Cook, according to unnamed sources sharing the information. At the time, Apple also offered extra paid holidays to its staff.
For employees who have been returning to its offices, Apple has been offering on-site testing for COVID-19. Mail-in test kits for corporate and retail employees have also been provided.
There’s currently no exact word on when employees will return to the offices. Apple’s Tim Cook has remained flexible and has said to work to identify when it will be safe for staff to do so before making a judgement call.
