By Mikey Campbell
Monday March 09, 2020, 4:00 p.m. PT (7:00 p.m. ET)
As part of ongoing efforts to stop the spread of COVID-19, Apple is offering hourly workers and retailers unlimited sick leave if they show symptoms of the virus, according to a report released Monday.
According to 9to5Mac, workers with symptoms indicative of the new coronavirus may take time off without providing the usual doctor’s note to management. It is unclear whether the policy applies worldwide or is limited to US operations.
In any case, the decision to keep employees out of the office or the Apple Stores, with a salary, is a skillful decision that allows Apple to protect both its customers and its employees during the rapidly evolving crisis.
For now, Apple stores in the United States will remain open, although the company canceled Monday the next Today at Apple sessions in San Francisco Bay Area and Seattle. Similar measures were taken in Italy last week following store closings in China.
In addition to closing retail stores and offices in hard-hit areas, Apple began this weekend to encourage San Francisco-based employees to work from home as an “extra precaution.” The Santa Clara County public health department released new guidelines for COVID-19 on Thursday and urged Silicon Valley tech giants to halt non-essential employee travel, minimizing close contact with employees at work, cancel large meetings and conferences and urge employees to stay home. when they are sick.
For its part, Apple limited travel to South Korea and Italy earlier this month. The company also pulled out of the now-canceled SXSW festival, which was slated to present three new Apple TV + originals.
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