Apple lifts mask mandate for corporate employees

Workers at Apple's corporate locations will now get to choose whether or not they wear a face mask when at the office.

Apple has alerted employees that it is dropping its mask mandate "in light of certain circumstances."

The email, which was obtained by The Verge, notes that the requirement is being dropped at "most locations." It does not disclose which locations still require employees to wear masks.

"Don't hesitate to continue wearing a face mask if you feel more comfortable doing so," the email states. "Also, please respect every individual's decision to wear a mask or not."

Apple dropped its mask mandate for corporate and retail in March when COVID-19 cases were on the downward trend.

However, in May, Apple reinstated the mask mandate for both corporate and retail employees when COVID-19 cases were on the rise again.

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10 Comments

bonobob 394 comments · 13 Years

About 2 years ago

So will Apple respect employees’ desires to work in a masked environment, or work from home if that’s not possible at their location?

genovelle 1481 comments · 16 Years

About 2 years ago

bonobob said:

So will Apple respect employees’ desires to work in a masked environment, or work from home if that’s not possible at their location?

Working from home full time is not realistic for the majority of Apple employees. If that is what they need, a secretive hardware based innovation dependent company like Apple is probably not a good fit for them.

rob53 3306 comments · 13 Years

About 2 years ago

genovelle said:

bonobob said:

So will Apple respect employees’ desires to work in a masked environment, or work from home if that’s not possible at their location?

Working from home full time is not realistic for the majority of Apple employees. If that is what they need, a secretive hardware based innovation dependent company like Apple is probably not a good fit for them.

I agree. Sometimes the only place to work for certain employees is at the company's building where everything is located. It doesn't work to try and outfit every employee's house with enough corporate hardware to allow them to do everything.

rob53 3306 comments · 13 Years

About 2 years ago

bonobob said:

So will Apple respect employees’ desires to work in a masked environment, or work from home if that’s not possible at their location?

I'm sure Apple will allow employees to wear masks while at Apple's headquarters but working from home will only work for certain job types.

With the continuous flow of new strains of COVID and with boosters coming out on a regular basis (just like flu shots), I believe we're just going to have to live with COVID, booster shots and getting COVID. I haven't gotten it but people I know who wear masks and distance themselves are finally getting it but with boosters they're dealing with it like having a cold or flu.