Apple Store employees asked to perform sales and support roles from home
Apple announced it was closing all 464 of its retail stores outside Greater China in mid-March in an effort to stop the spread of the coronavirus through its workforce, and since then employees have been told to wait at home until locations eventually begin to reopen.
Now, Apple is said to be reassigning employees to take on sales and support roles from home, according to a new report from Bloomberg.
According to the report, the reassignment is optional, but those that choose to work from would will be provided with a 27-inch iMac and virtual training, with participating employees required to have a quiet workspace and a strong internet connection.
Apple had originally said it would reopen its stores at the end of March, but shortly after the company backtracked and said stores would be closed ‘until further notice’. A leaked internal memo from Senior Vice President of People and Retail Deirdre O’Brien said Apple is aiming to begin reopening some of its retail stores during the first half of April, however the continued spread of the virus around the world may put those plans in jeopardy.
Bloomberg’s report suggests employees who participate will also receive additional compensation for their efforts but not be asked to work outside of the schedule they would normally work in the store. Any employee who chooses not to participate will still be paid their normal salary and benefits.