Bloomberg — Apple is reportedly about to adjust its internal policies for dealing with the New Guinea virus outbreak, including no longer requiring employees to be tested before entering the office.
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Apple’s response to the 2021 outbreak included encouraging employees to get vaccinated and increasing testing, and in March 2022, as the outbreak eased, Apple removed the mandatory mask requirement for employees in its offices and retail stores.
According to the latest news, starting Jan. 30, Apple will no longer force employees to be tested before coming to work. At the same time, Apple will eliminate its special sick leave policy for the new coronavirus outbreak. Previously, under the policy, employees who developed symptoms were allowed to take unlimited sick leave.
The associated sick leave benefits will end in August 2023. Until then, employees can take up to five additional days of sick leave if they test positive for the new coronavirus.
In 2022, Apple increased benefits for U.S. retail store employees, including increased sick time and paid time off, to attract and retain retail store employees. Apple has also given retail store employees a pay raise.
As a result of the policy change, Apple may return to hosting the Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) and other traditional events offline. Since 2020, Apple has moved these events online in response to the new coronavirus outbreak.
