Apple Delays Return To Office Indefinitely As Coronavirus Cases Rise Globally

Apple has informed its employees to work from home and delayed the return to office date indefinitely in the wake of rising coronavirus cases globally.

Apple Delays Return To Office Indefinitely As Coronavirus Cases Rise Globally/Getty

New Delhi: Apple has informed its employees to work from home and delayed the return to office date indefinitely in the wake of rising coronavirus cases globally. According to a memo sent by Apple CEO Tim Cook, the employees were informed about the development that the iPhone maker was delaying its planned return to offices in February, says a report by news agency Bloomberg.

The development comes barely weeks after the Cupertino, California-based tech giant asked its staffers to begin returning to offices by February. Apple employees would be given $1,000 so that they can outfit their homes for remote work. There are rising concerns about the rising COVID-19 cases as the heavily mutated omicron variant continues to spread globally.

“We are delaying the start of our hybrid work pilot to a date yet to be determined,” the Apple CEO said in the memo, the report added.

Earlier in November, Apple had decided to call back employees under a new hybrid plan which it said will come into effect from February 2022. Referring to an internal memo sent to staff by the company CEO, Apple wanted its staff to return to offices on February 1 to begin a 'hybrid work pilot'. The tech giant had earlier offered two weeks of remote work per year but added two more weeks to give 'more opportunity to travel, be closer to your loved ones, or simply shake up your routines', according to the internal memo.

The employees will come to the office on Monday, Tuesday and Thursday and they'll be able to work from home on Wednesdays and Fridays, the company had said.