Apple resumes business trips to China, paying bonuses to staff who travel

Apple has lifted its earlier ban on staff travel to China, according to The Information (via AppleInsider), which claims the company is paying $500 daily bonuses to staff who travel to the country in light of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The report claims US staff traveling to China will be collected from the airport and required to quarantine in a budget hotel arranged by the Shanghai authorities for two weeks. During quarantine, Apple staff will be unable to get food delivered to their hotel, nor will they be able to use any laundry services.

Instead, The Information reports that staff will be given Irish lamb stew, provided by China Eastern Airlines and will need to wash closes by hand from the hotel room’s bathtub. Upon completing the two week quarantine, Apple will then send staff to more upscale hotels such as Marriott and Park Hyatt hotels, as they did before the pandemic, and allow them to conduct their business.

Staff who volunteer to travel to China will be paid $500 per day in addition to their usual daily pay and expenses, the source suggests.

It was reported in January that Apple had barred travel from the US to Chinese factories, with Apple sending care packages to staff quarantined by coronavirus.