Apple postpones return to office indefinitely

Apple is postponing mandatory return to office until a “date yet to be determined,” CEO Tim Cook told employees in an internal memo. The contents of the memo were first published by Bloomberg, and an Apple spokesperson confirmed the company’s decision to the outlet.

The decision comes amidst a new threat from the Omicron Covid-19 variant, which is driving cases up in the U.S. and many other countries.

“We are delaying the start of our hybrid work pilot to a date yet to be determined. Our offices remain open and many of our colleagues are coming in regularly, including our teams in Greater China and elsewhere,” Cook wrote in the memo. Cook also encouraged employees to get vaccinated.

In the memo, Cook also said the company would provide all its employees with a $1,000 “work from home” bonus. “The funds are intended to help you with your home workspace and can be used as you see fit,” Cook said.

Apple employees will receive a four weeks notice before they are required to return to work, and when they do, they will have to come on Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays, while working from home on Wednesdays and Fridays.

Apple has postponed its return to the office numerous times in the past year, last time to February 2022. The company recently undertook other measures due to the Covid-19 pandemic, such as shutting down three retail stores in December due to rising Covid-19 cases among employees.