Following the breaking news that Google will require employees returning to its offices in October to get the COVID vaccine, Tim Cook has shared that the company is continuing to “monitor things daily” before deciding if that’s “the right answer or not.”
Earlier this month we learned that Apple is pushing back its office return to at least October from the previously planned September timeframe. That change comes amid the COVID delta variant spreading quickly around the US.
Now as Google has announced that it will require its employees heading back to the office to be vaccinated, Tim Cook shared with CNBC’s Josh Lipton that it’s not ready to make that decision yet, highlighting that its “main focus right now is when to come back…”
And giving a bit more context, Cook continued by saying that “we are monitoring things daily to really conclude whether that is the right answer or not.”
Along with this decision looming ahead for Cook and Apple, the company is also facing pushback from employees who aren’t happy with denials on work from home requests.
Meanwhile, Apple has brought back a mask requirement for the majority of its U.S. stores.
Apple also sent a message encouraging staff to get vaccinated in a letter seen by Bloomberg, but again hasn’t decided to require it for now:
“Apple encourages everyone who is eligible to receive a Covid-19 vaccine, to take it,” the company wrote to retail employees. “Please talk to your doctor and decide what’s right for you.”
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