Apple will increase benefits for retail employees after employee complaints

Apple is extending the benefits of its time off to full- and part-time retail employees, according to a new Bloomberg report and information shared separately by a source to The Verge.

As per a Bloomberg report, the company will introduce the following new benefits from April 4:

Doubling the paid sick days for both full-time and part-time workers. Days can be used for mental health leave and taking family members to the doctor. With this change, full-time employees will get 12 salaried sick days instead of six.

Workers starting with three years of employment instead of five would get more annual vacation days.

Part-time employees will now get six paid days off for the first time. Another first: They'll get paid parental leave. This benefit will be for up to six weeks and will include the ability to gradually increase work time from the first four weeks.

Part-time workers will also receive discounted emergency backup care for children or elderly family members.

Apple confirmed the changes to Bloomberg and noted that they had been in the works for several months.

The new benefits come after a comprehensive December report from The Verge detailing how Apple's frontline workers, including its retail, support and sales teams, are struggling to survive and work under conditions. . Their complaints about it have been largely ignored. Apple's retail employees have also struggled to change policies about closing stores and wearing masks due to COVID-19. In January, the company announced internally that both corporate and retail employees must receive a COVID-19 booster shot or show a negative COVID-19 test before entering the workplace.