Apple Offers Employees Paid Time Off to Get Vaccinated

[MacRumors]

To encourage employees to get the COVID-19 vaccine, Apple is offering paid time off for vaccine appointments and paid sick leave for those who experience side effects, reports Bloomberg.

Apple does not have its own supply of vaccines and is not providing shots to workers, so employees will be required to get vaccines through their state's medical facilities.

Since last spring, Apple's campuses in Cupertino, California and other cities have been largely shut down, with most employees working from home. Retail stores around the world were also shuttered for most of the year.

Vaccines will hasten Apple's campus re-openings and will get employees back to work sooner. Apple CEO Tim Cook said in a March interview that he "can't wait" for employees to return to in-person work. Cook said that people need to be together because you can't plan collaboration and innovation.

"Innovation isn't always a planned activity. It's bumping into each other over the course of the day and advancing an idea that you just had. And you really need to be together to do that."

Cook in March said that Apple had no firm return to work date for employees, but in California, where Apple's two main campuses are located, all people over the age of 16 will be eligible to get vaccinated starting on April 15. Cook last year told employees that staff could return to the campuses as early as June.

Retail employees have returned to work as all Apple Stores in the United States have been reopen since March 1, but many corporate employees are still working from home.

Article Link: Apple Offers Employees Paid Time Off to Get Vaccinated

 

[macdos]

Paid time off to get vaccinated? Evil socialism! That's the scary stuff they do in Europe, not in the States.

 

[newyorksole]

Not surprising at all. They want as many people to get vaccinated as possible.

 

[BlueCreek]

Paid time off to get vaccinated? Evil socialism! That's the scary stuff they do in Europe, not in the States.

Take unpaid time off if you prefer

 

[Stella]

Why is this news? Our company, and others would be encouraging their employees to get vaccinated, and wouldn't bat an eyelid if someone had to be away from work for a short while, it would definitely be paid.

 

[yaxomoxay]

Paid time off to get vaccinated? Evil socialism! That's the scary stuff they do in Europe, not in the States.

I understand the sarcasm, but I don’t think anyone has ever complained about a private company taking a decision that touches the personal wallet of the company itself. It’s probably one of the few things left and right agree on.

 

[contacos]

Isn’t that like … the norm? If I need to go to a doctor I go to a doctor. It’s not like I am taking vacation. I’ll get a „sick note“ for those hours and the company gets reimbursed by the health insurance

 

[hot-gril]

Usually standard sick leave covers this.

 

[munpip214]

It will be interesting to see if this really changes anything with working at the office. Probably more geared toward Retail. Also, until children can get vaccinated there will be a lot of people who will stay home regardless.

 

[reyesmac]

Make sure you have your vaxpass to even enter the building eventually.

 

[aesc80]

That's dope, considering how much it SUUUUUCCCCCCKKKKKSSSS getting the second round of vaccines. First round was just weird. I'm not looking forward to the second one from what I've heard (but still doing it, of course. Better to vax and deal with one day of weird, versus no vax and wondering how my days will end up)

 

[JPack]

Most larger organizations provide paid leave for medical/dental appointments. This shouldn't be any different.

If your vaccination produces temporary side effects, especially for D2, then sick leave covers it.

 

[Stromos]

My company gives 50 bucks to our HSAs and four hours of PTO for showing proof of being vaccinated. They have a very similar mentality to Apple in wanting people back in the office.

I'm just waiting for the wave of turnover that's already begun. People have zero interest in coming back into an office after a year of being at home. Tons of jobs in the area available as full remote now.

I am in the minority in that I hate working from home. Been in office the whole pandemic as a volunteer to "be hands in the office" The only downside is listening to everyone talk about wanting to go on vacation and planning trips for the end of the year.

 

[darkslide29]

That's dope, considering how much is SUUUUUCCCCCCKKKKKSSSS getting the second round of vaccines. First round was just weird. I'm not looking forward to the second one from what I've heard (but still doing it, of course. Better to vax and deal with one day of weird, versus no vax and wondering how my days will end up)

I personally know two people in their late 20s/early 30s who could not work or get out of bed for about 24 hours. But after that day passed, they were completely back to normal. Meanwhile, my parents in their late 60s had zero side effects from the second shot. So I guess it varies very widely, and not guaranteed to be bad, so best of luck to ya.

 

[calzon65]

I think Apple is one of the companies that understand the value of a face-to-face workplace versus working from home, so it makes sense they want to see as many employees vaccinated as possible.

 

[magicschoolbus]

My company gives 50 bucks to our HSAs and four hours of PTO for showing proof of being vaccinated. They have a very similar mentality to Apple in wanting people back in the office.

I'm just waiting for the wave of turnover that's already begun. People have zero interest in coming back into an office after a year of being at home. Tons of jobs in the area available as full remote now.

I am in the minority in that I hate working from home. Been in office the whole pandemic as a volunteer to "be hands in the office" The only downside is listening to everyone talk about wanting to go on vacation and planning trips for the end of the year.

I love working from how but agree with you that there will be turnover. My contract us up in 2 years (if I leave the company without 2 years of service, I need to pay back my relocation - if they hired me during COVID, I never would have had to relocate) - relocating is one of the most stressful things you can do. Now, with companies embracing remote, there will 100% be people looking for a WFH opportunity. My office leader can't wait to get us all back in (none of the employees feel any reason, and neither do the executives to go back in). There will definitely be turnover. Even with these vaccines, you can still be a carrier of the virus even if you're vaccinated. Not in any rush to use the office fridge filled with other peoples food that they forget about; sitting next to someone that coughs, and sharing public bathrooms.

 

[Stromos]

Make sure you have your vaxpass to even enter the building eventually.

Funny you say this my company uses the Aduro survey system that you have to fill out daily with health questions and temperature. You have to do this before you badge into the building.

We just in our last town hall had the question with the vaccinations happening when can we stop doing this? The response was well we like the system so much we are going to rename it from the daily Covid survey to a daily wellness check. It's important people are monitoring their well being.

Cue the jokes of based on your survey you are showing malice towards your job please report directly to HR today to discuss options and correction.

 

[RalfTheDog]

Usually standard sick leave covers this.

I think the point is, it does not count against your standard sick time.

 

[JPack]

I'm just waiting for the wave of turnover that's already begun. People have zero interest in coming back into an office after a year of being at home. Tons of jobs in the area available as full remote now.

I think that's highly dependent on the position/job and company. I know people that consider on-site work as a perk. Your own 50 sq. ft. office with a pair of 27" monitors, great furniture, access to company facilities, ergonomist, brewed coffee, restaurants, etc. Not to mention the much needed social connections at the workplace.

 

[BurgDog]

I personally know two people in their late 20s/early 30s who could not work or get out of bed for about 24 hours. But after that day passed, they were completely back to normal. Meanwhile, my parents in their late 60s had zero side effects from the second shot. So I guess it varies very widely, and not guaranteed to be bad, so best of luck to ya.

I was sick for a day after the second shot. Pretty common for younger people, much less so for older ones as it is a measure of how good your immune system is training itself from the vaccine which gets worse, in general, the older you are. If you got sick, it shows your immune system is already working against the virus. If you didn't, it means the second shot was necessary for full immunity.

 

[RalfTheDog]

I was sick for a day after the second shot. Pretty common for younger people, much less so for older ones as it is a measure of how good your immune system is training itself from the vaccine. If you got sick, it shows your immune system is already working against the virus. If you didn't, it means the second shot was necessary for full immunity.

I got a bit sick after the first shot, nothing bad, just some chills. I am slightly dreading the second shot.

 

[Stromos]

I think that's highly dependent on the position/job and company. I know people that consider on-site work as a perk. Your own 50 sq. ft. office with a pair of 27" monitors, great furniture, access to company facilities, ergonomist, brewed coffee, restaurants, etc. Not to mention the much needed social connections at the workplace.

Funny that's actually me in a nutshell but with Atlanta traffic I can tell you the majority of my coworkers do not want to come back. Oddly everything on my desk with the exception of desk phone, laptop, and monitor arms belong to me. I spend more time here than at home so I bought screens, keyboard, trackball, etc that I wanted. I could easily bring it all home but I have zero interest. This equipment is for the office. I am one of only a couple volunteers this whole time and good people have already left for good remote jobs. It's sad.

 

[RalfTheDog]

One thing that worries me more than a bit, the new variants that exploit the ACE2 pathway. Antibodies won't do much good against them. You will get some protection from T cells, but that only goes so far.

 

[mattopotamus]

Isn’t that like … the norm? If I need to go to a doctor I go to a doctor. It’s not like I am taking vacation. I’ll get a „sick note“ for those hours and the company gets reimbursed by the health insurance

I definitely do not think that is the norm. That is why most companies offer PTO or however they want to classify it.

 

[EvilEvil]

I'm really surprised Apple isn't buying batches of the vaccines and bringing in nurses to administer them for employees.