In a fascinating report, Apple is allegedly paying some employees as much as $500 a day in hazard pay as they restart business travel to China in the midst of the raging pandemic.
Apple, which has a notable presence in the country of China, has been incentivizing employees traveling to China for work by providing an additional daily compensation rate of $500. Part of the reason driving this additional bonus is the fact employees must still quarantine for 2 weeks upon arriving – and the quarantine is in less than ideal conditions.
Notably, as reported by Apple Insider, Apple employees bussed to a specific hotel for their 2-week quarantine. They are unable to leave this “budget hotel” for two weeks and are unable to get laundry service or food delivery. Moreover, employees are limited to eating an Irish lamb stew during this time period and have to hand wash their clothes in their hotel room’s bathtub. $500 is starting to sound a little light…:-)
Apparently, after successfully completing their 2 week quarantine in the Chinese version of a Red Roof Inn, they are free to move to more traditional business class hotels like Hiltons or Marriotts.
What would have previously been a series of 10 day trips is now munged together in a single 6 week trip – the first two weeks of which are spent in quarantine.
As much fun as it sounds to start traveling for work again, these conditions actually don’t sound that appealing. I can understand why the stipend is necessary. Will other companies adopt a similar model? Maybe to travel to New York or Chicago?
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