Apple in US delays employees returning to offices until January at least

Surging US Covid-19 cases and new variants the reason behind decision

Apple is keeping office employees working from home until the new year.

Apple is delaying its return to corporate offices from October until January at the earliest because of surging Covid-19 cases and new variants, according to a memo sent to employees.

The company told staff it would confirm the re-opening timeline one month before employees are required to return to the office. 

Apple had previously aimed to require all staff to return to corporate offices by early September before delaying that until October. 

When employees are required to return, they will be expected to work at the office at least three days a week - Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays - with remote work on Wednesday and Friday available.

The memo to staff, sent by human resources and retail head Deirdre O’Brien, added that the company does not currently expect to shutter its offices or retail stores.

But, she strongly encouraged staff to get vaccinated. The company is yet to require vaccinations or testing, though it is upping its testing programme to as many as three at-home coronavirus tests per week.

The iPhone maker in July became one of the first US tech giants to delay plans for a return to normality as Covid-19 and highly transmissible variants began to spread during the summer. 

Now, the emergence of the delta variant around the world is forcing a rethink among America’s largest corporations, even as infection rates are still about a quarter what they were at their peak.

After dropping its mask requirement in June, Apple reinstated the policy last month.

- Bloomberg