Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
Unless the letter employees have developed a physical disability or potential life threatening allergy etc., I don't see how they should be given exemptions.

Why is it the world suddenly has to change post Pandemic. I find that to be an easy excuse.
It is. But it also makes things better for most, if not everyone. The goal should be to push policy that avoids disability or injury. At the very least it’s morally wrong to force people into a situation knowing there was an avoidable risk.
 
It is. But it also makes things better for most, if not everyone. The goal should be to push policy that avoids disability or injury. At the very least it’s morally wrong to force people into a situation knowing there was an avoidable risk.
If Apple had been forcing everyone to work during the Pandemic regardless, your post would have merit. I don't see that that was the case. If anything, Apple has gone above to be accommodating and understanding for their employees. As far as I am aware, there is no overt physical danger in returning to work 3 days a way unless an employee has an existing condition spoke of earlier.
 
Which brings me on to my main point…. All these employees applied for, and were successful in getting their job. Their job was presented NOT as a home working role and they took that on fully knowing and understanding that. Fully. They cannot renegotiate the terms of that now just because it suits them better.
Most employment in this country is done “at-will” which means either the employee or employer can renegotiate their terms any time they want unless there is a contract.
 
  • Like
Reactions: motulist
If Apple had been forcing everyone to work during the Pandemic regardless, your post would have merit. I don't see that that was the case. If anything, Apple has gone above to be accommodating and understanding for their employees. As far as I am aware, there is no overt physical danger in returning to work 3 days a way unless an employee has an existing condition spoke of earlier.
Apple paid people but didn’t ask them to work? Though I’m not sure how that changes much. This is clearly bad for some people, and employees have an obligation to fight for better protection and increase their rights. How I see it there is ‘a’ risk, and therefore their request is justified.
 
I live five miles from Apple’s HQ. Before the pandemic, it would frequently take 45 minutes to get from there to here during rush hour in the evening. (I pass it on the way home, because traffic tells my GPS to wind all over the place to get home from where I now work). Zillow zestimates my house at $2M, for 2400 sq ft on an 8000 sq ft lot (It was around a third of that when I bought it 20 years ago). There are certainly downsides to living here. Many up-sides, too, of course.
Ahh enjoy the reduced traffic while you can. For the last year it's been great to drive around locally, compared to sometimes driving through neighborhoods to bypass a accident on the freeway. :)
 
It’s not the same world as before the pandemic. Everyone should realize they are at greater risk simply by being in an office. Some, such as the immune compromised, could die. You have to make the policy apply to everyone to allow privacy with respect to medical issues.
um, if someone is so immunocompromised that they can't work in an office with other people, then they can get a doctor's note.
 
Apple paid people but didn’t ask them to work? Though I’m not sure how that changes much. This is clearly bad for some people, and employees have an obligation to fight for better protection and increase their rights. How I see it there is ‘a’ risk, and therefore their request is justified.
That is not what I said. I said Apple didn't force people to go to work during the Pandemic. Apple made accommodations for employees so they could do other jobs (many of them remote support) and keep getting a paycheck.

Continuing to say the world has changed as a valid retort doesn't really work.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Ladybug
That is not what I said. I said Apple didn't force people to go to work during the Pandemic. Apple made accommodations for employees so they could do other jobs (many of them remote support) and keep getting a paycheck.

Continuing to say the world has changed as a valid retort doesn't really work.
um, if someone is so immunocompromised that they can't work in an office with other people, then they can get a doctor's note.
It’s not about people dropping dead on the street. It’s about letting people take reasonable precautions for themselves and their loved ones without having to justify it to their employer. Apple doesn’t need to know why they prefer to work remotely. They should simply respect the employees decision to do so without threatening their employment.
 
They spent a lot of money on that building...
I’d air bnb part of it - love to visit that space ship. As for the team members that don’t want to work outside of home, I’m afraid the lackluster software improvements this past year are not going to help their cause. A real Microsoft Teams competitor is needed, perhaps assign them that or iWork improvements 😆
 
It’s not about people dropping dead on the street. It’s about letting people take reasonable precautions for themselves and their loved ones without having to justify it to their employer. Apple doesn’t need to know why they prefer to work remotely. They should simply respect the employees decision to do so without threatening their employment.
Before the Pandemic, the letter employees went to work like the other employees, even though there was unnamed danger that could happen at any time (as the case with all of us). Post Pandemic and all of a sudden, the letter employees are asking Apple to do a bunch of surveys so that said employees can hopefully find justification for not doing what they were asked to do previously.

The only thing that has changed with the letter employees is their attitude of believing that should be exempt from something potential unnamed hazards that don't seem to enter into the equation while at home and doing other things that take them away from home.

Their reasoning isn't adding up logically. It's a load of crap.
 
Before the Pandemic, the letter employees went to work like the other employees, even though there was unnamed danger that could happen at any time (as the case with all of us). Post Pandemic and all of a sudden, the letter employees are asking Apple to do a bunch of surveys so that said employees can hopefully find justification for not doing what they were asked to do previously.

The only thing that has changed with the letter employees is their attitude of believing that should be exempt from something potential unnamed hazards that don't seem to enter into the equation while at home and doing other things that take them away from home.

Their reasoning isn't adding up logically. It's a load of crap.
I feel the same about forced return. There is no logical justification for making people go into the office. So what if the building is expensive? That’s irrelevant to employee choice and safety.

Employees compromised by working from home and companies should pay up for accommodating them. It’s simple, employers gave up some control to stay profitable and now they want the control back. Well to bad.
 
well then they can find work elsewhere (too bad!). your average person is not under any risk by going back into an office.
 
LOL. What?! if an employee thinks that someone as intelligent as Tim Cook will fall for the ‘I work better at home’ nonsense, then think again.

Management need to not take this seriously. Of course an employee is going to make out its way better at home, or that its now effecting their mental health to come back in. They want the easiest route! Everyone wants an easier life. So, we will all make up **** to convince management.

Fact is, nothing beats F2F conversations for good meetings or idea discussions.
 
I feel the same about forced return. There is no logical justification for making people go into the office. So what if the building is expensive? That’s irrelevant to employee choice and safety.

Employees compromised by working from home and companies should pay up for accommodating them. It’s simple, employers gave up some control to stay profitable and now they want the control back. Well to bad.
You think meetings to discuss ideas or collaborate are just as good or better over video?? WOW 😂 ‘nO LoGIcAL juStiFicaTioN’.
 
Unless the letter employees have developed a physical disability or potential life threatening allergy etc., I don't see how they should be given exemptions.

Why is it the world suddenly has to change post Pandemic. I find that to be an easy excuse.
Why does it need to stay the same? What’s the benefit of that?

…an “excuse” for what, exactly? Change is constant, pandemic or not.

Keep up with it, or get left behind.
 
  • Like
Reactions: motulist
I think that their point is that it’s functionally the same. I have yet to see one legitimate example here of how face to face is better.

Considering all the issues working from home avoids it’s actually better than face to face.
I have made several prior examples of why face to face is better. But there are thousands/millions of individual situations. One size does not fit all. And one might be in a position where it doesn’t matter and your employer could give you the flexibility.
 
Last edited:
They spent a lot of money on that building...

They can’t even fit all their Silicon Valley employees in it. They have other offices all over the place. If some of the folks in that building prefer to stay home, plenty of others to fill it.
 
Why does it need to stay the same? What’s the benefit of that?

…an “excuse” for what, exactly? Change is constant, pandemic or not.

Keep up with it, or get left behind.
I am not saying everything has to stay the same. That wasn't the point. I am saying that the letter employees are making up excuses not to be held to the same standard as others.
 
LOL. What?! if an employee thinks that someone as intelligent as Tim Cook will fall for the ‘I work better at home’ nonsense, then think again.

Management need to not take this seriously. Of course an employee is going to make out its way better at home, or that its now effecting their mental health to come back in. They want the easiest route! Everyone wants an easier life. So, we will all make up **** to convince management.

Fact is, nothing beats F2F conversations for good meetings or idea discussions.

You know what isn’t intelligent? Dogmatic absolutes like “no one could ever possibly work better at home.”

Actual intelligent people know to take new inputs all the time, and adjust/update their thinking to match.

If you don’t think so, next time you need one, get yourself a lawyer, doctor, pilot, real estate agent, or engineer who stopped keeping up with the developments in their field in 1995.

You’re going to be worse off, guaranteed.
 
  • Like
Reactions: motulist
I feel the same about forced return. There is no logical justification for making people go into the office. So what if the building is expensive? That’s irrelevant to employee choice and safety.
You know that is approaching a political stance. The pandemic cannot be utilized as a argument against returning to work because your own opinion doesn't agree with the employer who is going by what the state/county has approved as acceptable activity.
 
We are formally requesting insight into the environmental impact of returning to onsite in-person work, and how permanent remote-and-location-flexibility could offset that impact.
This one is particularly stupid as the EIR was completed and approved before construction even began. That EIR, as one might expect, accounts for the building(s) being occupied per plan. Not surprisingly, the impacts identified in the EIR have more to do with the building itself rather than the people coming and going from it. If they wanted insight into the environmental impact, they could read the EIR themselves and be enlightened.

Their real motivation wasn't "insight" -- it was to wave the "E" flag in support of their cause.


 
  • Like
Reactions: lolOwO
I wonder if this letter was written by enterprising employees who have every intent to go back to the office, thus gaining an advantage over less dedicated staff. Either way, bozo explosion culling happens.

That said, telecommuting has numerous benefits. Hopefully we will find a balance.
 
Last edited:
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.