Global spread of virus has made work at Apple flexible

Relaxed rules also apply to iPhone maker’s 5,000 India staff

Apple CEO Tim Cook speaks during an event to announce new products Tuesday Oct. 30, 2018, in the Brooklyn borough of New York. (AP Photo/Bebeto Matthews)

The global spread of Covid-19 has steered Apple towards flexible work arrangements worldwide outside of Greater China, said Apple CEO Tim Cook in a statement.

“There is no mistaking the challenge of this moment,” Mr. Cook said, addressing employees and customers.

As per the new arrangement at Apple, all team members are asked to work remotely if their job allows, and those whose work requires them to be onsite should follow guidance to maximise interpersonal space. “Extensive, deep cleaning will continue at all sites. In all our offices, we are rolling out new health screenings and temperature checks,” he said.

Apple has 5,000 employees in India, including contract workers. A majority of its staff are located in its Hyderabad development centre, while a small number is in Bengaluru to support sales and marketing.

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“We have expanded our leave policies to accommodate personal or family health circumstances created by Covid-19, including recovering from an illness, caring for a sick loved one, mandatory quarantining, or childcare challenges due to school closures.”

The Apple chief also announced that all Apple retail stores outside of Greater China would remain closed until March 27.