Apple Delays Office Return Indefinitely, Gives Employees $1,000 for Work Equipment

Tech giant Apple has indefinitely delayed the return of its workers back to its offices and is giving all corporate and retail employees $1,000 to purchase equipment for their home offices. This amount will hardly put a dent in the cost of the company’s own notoriously expensive computers and mobile electronics.

The Verge reports that Apple plans to delay bringing its workers back to its offices indefinitely while giving all of its corporate and retail employees $1,000 to purchase equipment for their home offices. The news was shared with Apple employees in an email from company CEO Tim Cook earlier this week.

(AFP)

Tim Cook at Golden Globes

“Our offices remain open and many of our colleagues are coming in regularly, including our teams in Greater China and elsewhere,” Cook wrote. “As we look forward to more of our teams being together again, we will continue to make decisions based on local conditions and will be sure to notify you at least four weeks before beginning the pilot.”

Discussing the $1,000 payment to employees, Cook stated: “These funds are intended to help you with your home workspace and can be used as you see fit.” In an internal message, Apple employees were told that the $1,000 would appear in their next paycheck and still be subject to tax and withholding. The message added: “Keep in mind that when you return to the office, you’ll be bringing your Apple-owned equipment back, so you should consider what you’ll want for your home workspace.”

Notably, $1,000 alone would barely cover the cost of a new iPhone let alone an office setup, especially if that setup consisted of Apple products.

Apple closed three retail stores recently in response to growing coronavirus infections. Earlier this week, it began enforcing a mask policy for customers in its retail stores. Cook told workers that he was “grateful” for their flexibility and resilience throughout the pandemic, stating: “You continue to prove how much we can accomplish when we take on our challenges with boldness, creativity and — most importantly — together.”

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