Apple is moving to boost the pay of some Apple Store employees in the US as it looks to help employees deal with the ongoing pandemic.
According to Bloomberg, Apple announced the news during store briefings and individual meetings with employees, according to Bloomberg's sources, and the goal is better align veteran staff (ie, those who worked for Apple pre-pandemic) with more recent hires.
The raises will be between 2% and 10% depending on the store and role. Those receiving a raise include salespeople, Genius Bar staff, and some senior hourly workers. Not all employees will receive a raise, which take effect this month.
Responding to Covid-19
The pay raise, separate from routine annual raises, which occur in October, comes, at least in part, as a response to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic and its impact on staffing and the overall US labor market.
The company is also expanding other benefits including more paid holiday for part- and full-time employees, increased sick days, and improved support for child and elder care.
The Covid-19 pandemic has been a really difficult time for anyone working retail – no ability to work from home, dealing with customers face-to-face, and oftentimes low pay.
The overall US labor market is extremely tight at the moment as employers struggle to find enough employees. On top of this, rising inflation has added more pressure.
As one of the richest companies in the world, there is increased pressure on Apple to share some of the wealth around, especially with its lowest paid employees.
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