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Apple Reportedly Paying Out $150 Bonuses to Certain iPhone 4 Launch Day Retail Store Employees
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Yea but I don't think they get big christmas bonuses like the rest of the Salary world. It's better than nothing especially since anyone in the working world will tell you a 12hr day is no big deal.
THIS.
I've worked extra hours during peak times. While I get paid for those hours as normal, nobody gives me a bonus just for doing the job that's expected of me, and it's never even occurred to me to expect it.
Great for Apple to do this, they didn't have to. When I was a student I had a part time job in retail and they never do this. Basic hourly wage and thats it. That money will mean a lot. I got nothing extra for working extremely busy and long periods.
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ifoAppleStore reports that Apple has decided to pay out bonuses of $150 to its retail store employees who worked the iPhone 4 launch day, at least in the U.S. But there appears to be a catch: Eligible employees have to have worked at least 12 hours on that day, far in excess of the normal workday.It is unknown what percentage of retail store employees will qualify for the bonus, although it is likely that many of them signed up for extended hours on that day given Apple's need for an "all hands on deck" presence to assist with the crowds.
The report also notes that the bonuses will qualify as taxable income, reducing their final value by a significant amount. Had Apple been able to provide employees with "free" iPhones, however, they too would have been subject to tax on their value.
Article Link: Apple Reportedly Paying Out $150 Bonuses to Certain iPhone 4 Launch Day Retail Store Employees
Er...of course bounses are taxable income! DUH! They all are! That's news?
That is most likely on top of their pay for the day, with required OT etc.
So actually not really lame, since it's probably not legally required anywhere. That bonus is probably a free day's pay for at least some of those folks
Also, as someone pointed out in the original article, this isn't the first year they haven't given out phones. They did it once. Not every year. Rumor has it there were no free ipads, no free ipod touches, no free computers, or ipod nanos etc. So it's not like they get one of everything except this one thing.
As I got to the front of the line at the San Francisco store I found out the cheerful girl that had been handing water and burritos to the line (and, awesomely, to any homeless people that asked) had been there since midnight. At that time she was nearing a 21 hour shift and still had a smile on her face. Although she might have been delirious. Under California employment law that is 8 hours at time, 4 hours at time and a half and 9 hours at double time. Plus $150. Not to shabby for a days work.
Not towards the purchase price of an iPhone. They pay the same amount as any AT&T customer does.
There weren't enough iPhone 4s produced to give employees free ones, but yeah, giving them $199 in free cash instead of $150 would have been cool.
Probably (most retail jobs have an employee discount) but that's really moot in this discussion.
Unless the point you are trying to make is that the money would be enough for an iphone with their discount. I'm betting however that the employees don't get a discount (other than the ATT stuff) on the iphone or anything off the ipad. just like I can't use my employers discount with Apple on either
No kidding. On launch day, our local Apple Store employees did hourly runs up and down the lines giving out free water, chips, cookies, donuts, etc. About half way through my wait, they even paid for Chick-fil-a to wheel a cart of chicken nuggets (with sauces!) down the line and give out free boxes. Four hours in line wasn't my ideal situation, but the employees put on a happy face and made us as comfortable as they could.
As for retail bonuses, this is surely a decent amount. When I worked for Best Buy in the 90s, we occasionally saw this type of bonus (smaller amount) for meeting shrink goals. It was a HUGE morale booster to people making $6/hr.
Huh. Whenever I got a bonus from my employer. Dang near half of it goes to taxes. I'd rather get the phone as a bounus if thats the case. But then again, I don't work for Apple. umm..Never-mind. *slouches in chair* I'll shut-up now.
You're suppose to report the phone as income too. You're not getting over unless you plan on cheating the government by not reporting the phone.
And please do so.
That is ridiculous. They work in retail, no one is owed anything. I don't know why anyone would feel entitled to a $200/$300 phone. This bonus is certainly not lame, it's likely akin to getting paid for an extra day or more that these people did not work. Again, this is retail. There are office jobs who don't do things like this. Kudos to Apple, and I really doubt any of their retail employees are complaining (except for the ones who worked 11.5 hours, ouch).
THey just already knew about the screen and signal issues. Just sweetening the staff up for all the **** they were about to have to deal with.
And of course to say thank you for putting up with all the sad people that queue for a phone because they need it as a fashion statement not as a tool.
And of course to say thank you for putting up with all the sad people that queue for a phone because they need it as a fashion statement not as a tool.
There are too darn many whiners in this forum! All of you guys that do nothing but bitch and complain, please go spend your time here:
Whiner's Forum
That said... Apple pays their retail store employees pretty well (for a retail store type of job). I was told by one employee that specialists (Apple's term for sales floor personnel) start in the $11-$12 hour range. That's well above minimum wage.
So... take a specialist at the low end of the scale working a 13 hour shift. He/she made $88 for the first eight hours, plus $82.50 for the 5 hours of overtime. Throw in the $150 bonus and that employee made $320.50 for that day.
Not bad at all for retail!
Mark
Whiner's Forum
That said... Apple pays their retail store employees pretty well (for a retail store type of job). I was told by one employee that specialists (Apple's term for sales floor personnel) start in the $11-$12 hour range. That's well above minimum wage.
So... take a specialist at the low end of the scale working a 13 hour shift. He/she made $88 for the first eight hours, plus $82.50 for the 5 hours of overtime. Throw in the $150 bonus and that employee made $320.50 for that day.
Not bad at all for retail!
Mark
Some Apple employees knew of this the day they worked on launch. It's a nice perk in addition to the obvious overtime, etc. I worked there for a year and honestly I'm glad I'm gone, but sometimes I miss the rush. The store I worked at, like most, was busy 24x7. Good for Apple to give a little extra to the staff.
The same goes for just about any kind of retail, unless maybe you work for a car or jewelry dealer, then people think you're just a crook.
It works out to an extra $12/hr on top of regular pay, plus possible time and a half for longer hours if the state requires. Not a bad bonus for one day's work. Most of the time, I don't think retail jobs pay any bonus.
It's to help the kids who are still living in Mom's basement - they've never seen a W-2, let alone a 1099.
(And, by the way, my bonuses show up on my W-2 - the 1099 form covers investments and interest.)
Mad Mac Maniac
macrumors 601
So true. A coworker of mine once won a TV at a company event. She ended up not taking the TV because the tax on it was more than what the TV was worth in the real world.