Apple Giving Retail Workers Experiencing Coronavirus Symptoms Unlimited Sick Leave

Along with allowing corporate employees to work from home for the next week, Apple has also told its hourly and retail employees that it is providing unlimited sick leave to those experiencing coronavirus symptoms.

applestorepaloalto
Apple's hourly employees, which includes retail staff, are not required to submit a doctor's note if time off is required, according to details obtained by 9to5Mac. Apple's new policy will make it easier for employees who have COVID-19 symptoms to take necessary time off of work.

Apple has not closed any of its retail stores located in the United States at this time, but as we reported earlier today, Today at Apple sessions have been canceled in Seattle and the San Francisco Bay Area, which are two areas with the most coronavirus cases in the U.S.

Apple is also tweaking some of its stores to cut down on the number of chairs at the Genius bar and the number of seating cubes in the Forum, which will provide more physical space between customers. Device cleanings are also being done more regularly to limit the spread of germs.

Apple over the weekend sent out a memo suggesting corporate employees in the United States, South Korea, Japan, Italy, Germany, France, Switzerland, and the UK work from home for the next week. Many other tech companies have recommended similar measures for their employees in an effort to prevent the coronavirus from spreading further.

Popular Stories

Apple iPhone 16e Feature

Apple Announces iPhone 16e With A18 Chip and Apple Intelligence, Pricing Starts at $599

Wednesday February 19, 2025 8:02 am PST by
Apple today introduced the iPhone 16e, its newest entry-level smartphone. The device succeeds the third-generation iPhone SE, which has now been discontinued. The iPhone 16e features a larger 6.1-inch OLED display, up from a 4.7-inch LCD on the iPhone SE. The display has a notch for Face ID, and this means that Apple no longer sells any iPhones with a Touch ID fingerprint button, marking the ...
iphone 17 pro asherdipps

iPhone 17 Pro Models Rumored to Feature Aluminum Frame Instead of Titanium Frame

Tuesday February 18, 2025 12:02 pm PST by
Over the years, Apple has switched from an aluminum frame to a stainless steel frame to a titanium frame for its highest-end iPhones. And now, it has been rumored that Apple will go back to using aluminum for three out of four iPhone 17 models. In an investor note with research firm GF Securities, obtained by MacRumors this week, Apple supply chain analyst Jeff Pu said the iPhone 17, iPhone...
apple launch feb 2025 alt

Here Are the New Apple Products We're Still Expecting This Spring

Thursday February 20, 2025 5:06 am PST by
Now that Apple has announced its new more affordable iPhone 16e, our thoughts turn to what else we are expecting from the company this spring. There are three product categories that we are definitely expecting to get upgraded before spring has ended. Keep reading to learn what they are. If we're lucky, Apple might make a surprise announcement about a completely new product category. M4...
Generic iOS 18

Here's When Apple Will Release iOS 18.4

Wednesday February 19, 2025 11:38 am PST by
Following the launch of the iPhone 16e, Apple updated its iOS 18, iPadOS 18, and macOS Sequoia pages to give a narrower timeline on when the next updates are set to launch. All three pages now state that new Apple Intelligence features and languages will launch in early April, an update from the more broader April timeframe that Apple provided before. The next major point updates will be iOS ...
apple launch feb 2025

Tim Cook Teases an 'Apple Launch' Next Wednesday

Thursday February 13, 2025 8:07 am PST by
In a social media post today, Apple CEO Tim Cook teased an upcoming "launch" of some kind scheduled for Wednesday, February 19. "Get ready to meet the newest member of the family," he said, with an #AppleLaunch hashtag. The post includes a short video with an animated Apple logo inside a circle. Cook did not provide an exact time for the launch, or share any other specific details, so...
apple c1

Apple Unveils 'C1' as First Custom Cellular Modem

Wednesday February 19, 2025 8:08 am PST by
Apple today announced its first custom cellular modem with the name "C1," debuting in the all-new iPhone 16e. The new modem contributes to the iPhone 16e's power efficiency, giving it the longest battery life of any iPhone with a 6.1-inch display, such as the iPhone 15 and iPhone 16. Expanding the benefits of Apple silicon, C1 is the first modem designed by Apple and the most...
Apple Northbrook

Apple Store Permanently Closing at Struggling Mall in Chicago Area

Tuesday February 18, 2025 8:46 pm PST by
Apple is permanently closing its retail store at the Northbrook Court shopping mall in the Chicago area. The company confirmed the upcoming closure today in a statement, but it has yet to provide a closing date for the location. Apple Northbrook opened in 2005, and the store moved to a larger space in the mall in 2017. Apple confirmed that affected employees will continue to work for the...

Top Rated Comments

2010lexus Avatar
65 months ago

Sweet!!!

So basically if I have a lingering post-viral cough or am feeling a little bit tired, I can be off for 6 months?
Yes I guess you can. But thats the problems with people nowadays they think like you.Always trying to get a free ride in life. A company tries to help employees then someone with your kind of thinking has to take advantage of the situation.
Score: 10 Votes (Like | Disagree)
kaltsasa Avatar
65 months ago

Sweet!!!

So basically if I have a lingering post-viral cough or am feeling a little bit tired, I can be off for 6 months?
What an incredibly wrong take.
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)
citysnaps Avatar
65 months ago

Exactly as above^

It has to be paid time off otherwise sick employees will still return to work to get paid - to be able to make rent and expenses - especially hourly workers that don't make much money. Most people live pay check to pay check and a two week loss of pay can wipe them out.
It was a problem at the last company I worked for every winter - still clearly sick employees returning to work because they had used up their PTO and HAD to earn a paycheck
See above, Post# 6.


Sweet!!!

So basically if I have a lingering post-viral cough or am feeling a little bit tired, I can be off for 6 months?
Why is cheating the system Sweet!!! ?
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)
citysnaps Avatar
65 months ago

Unless it is paid time off they are fostering an environment where people put others at risk because they can’t afford to take time off. Apple might give them sick leave but their landlord won’t. Nor will their student loan repayments or utilities.
Relax. Apple's sick leave is paid.
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
4jasontv Avatar
65 months ago
Unless it is paid time off they are fostering an environment where people put others at risk because they can’t afford to take time off. Apple might give them sick leave but their landlord won’t. Nor will their student loan repayments or utilities.
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
miniyou64 Avatar
65 months ago
Apple should have been cleaning those nasty, greasy, in-store devices this frequently all along
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)