Apple Improves Benefits Offered to Retail Staff
Apple will soon offer US retail workers more paid sick time, vacation days, and parental leave.
As reported by Bloomberg, the company plans to "significantly increase" benefits for full- and part-time workers beginning in early April.
That includes doubling paid sick days (up to 12 for full-timers), allowing people more time for mental health leave or taking family members to the doctor. Part-time employees will also gain access to discounted emergency backup care for children or elderly relatives.
Additional annual vacation days (the exact number not disclosed)—beginning at three years of employment instead of five—will come in handy when folks start traveling again. And, for the first time, Apple will provide part-timers as many as six paid vacation days, as well as paid parental leave for up to six weeks, with the option to gradually increase working hours for the first four weeks back.
The company has not formally announced the changes, but a spokesperson confirmed to Bloomberg that the updates "were in development for several months." It did not immediately respond to PCMag's request for comment.
The pandemic not only forced the temporary closure of Apple Stores across the US and Canada, it helped draw attention to employees'—retail and corporate—concerns over working conditions. In December, a group representing Apple staffers staged a walkout to demand more from their employer, including N95 masks for all, sanitizer stations, appointment-only visits, and a ban on loitering.
Last month, Apple began cracking down on employees, requiring the unvaccinated (or those who haven't submitted proof of vaccination) to provide negative COVID-19 rapid antigen tests before entering the workplace. And once eligible, staff must
Read more on pcmag.com
