But at Southlake, the store manager called some workers and said that the program was mandatory, according to two employees. The experience was initially meant to be voluntary, meaning that employees would get paid either way. But two Southlake employees said they were told the policy wouldn’t apply to them if they tested negative, and one was explicitly told to come in while experiencing Covid-19 symptoms.Īfter Apple closed all its retail stores in 2020, it gave employees at certain retail locations the option of enrolling in an at-home adviser program to help customers over the phone. The company has a special sick leave policy that allows retail workers to take paid time off if they’re experiencing Covid symptoms. Employees who are unvaccinated must take an antigen test twice a week. Employees who are vaccinated must take an antigen test once a week. Longer historyĪpple’s health protocols require employees to report their vaccination status.
The Apple spokesperson told NBC that the company has a team of case workers who will be monitoring and assisting employees who tested positive at Southlake, as well as other workers in the store. “I’m more than confident I got it on Black Friday,” the employee added, noting they’re experiencing body aches, headaches, fatigue and loss of smell. One employee, who asked to remain anonymous because they are not authorized to speak publicly about Apple, said they started experiencing symptoms after working on Black Friday at the Southlake store. Customers were not required to wear masks, as face coverings are not mandated in Texas. 26 said the Southlake store was packed “shoulder to shoulder” with a line of people extending out the door. Miller and another employee who worked on Nov. “Then all hell broke loose on Black Friday.” “There were several occasions prior to Black Friday where I expressed concern about the inability to maintain even a semblance of social distancing,” he explained. Jeff Miller, who has worked at the Apple store in Southlake for three years, said the store has been getting busier throughout the pandemic. “As we continue to face these ongoing challenges, we remain committed to a comprehensive approach for our teams that combines regular testing with daily health checks, employee masking, deep cleaning and paid sick leave,” they said.
“It was worse because it was Black Friday and the store was busier than normal, and my customers were not wearing masks.”Īn Apple spokesperson told NBC that the company has prioritized the health and well-being of customers and employees since the early days of the pandemic. “It was really bad, my voice was really scratchy and my customers definitely noticed,” they said. According to Apple’s policy, this is false. But the employee was reportedly told the leave only applied to those who tested positive for the disease - which they had not.
The employee had previously asked their manager to take special sick leave, which is an Apple policy that applies to employees experiencing Covid-19 symptoms. The experience is echoed by an Apple retail employee in another Southern state, who asked not to be named for fear of retribution and said they worked on Black Friday despite experiencing Covid symptoms.
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