Wegen Corona: Apple Stores in den USA bleiben bis Mai geschlossen

Apple wird seine Apple Stores in den USA noch bis Anfang Mai geschlossen lassen, das entschied das Unternehmen mit Blick auf die eskalierende Corona-Krise im Heimatland. Zuvor war die Hoffnung geäußert worden, schon in der ersten Aprilhälfte einige Stores wieder öffnen zu können.

Apples Retail Stores in den USA bleiben vorerst geschlossen. Das Unternehmen wird die Geschäfte nicht vor Mai wieder öffnen, das erklärte Apples Retail-Direktorin Deirdre O’Brien in einem Memo, das 9to5Mac vorliegt.

Die Apple Stores waren am 13. März weltweit geschlossen worden, zunächst sollten sie bis zum 27. März geschlossen bleiben, dann wurde diese Schließung auf unbestimmte Zeit verlängert.

Wiedereröffnung auch in Deutschland nicht vor Mai wahrscheinlich

Später dann hieß es, Apple wolle einzelne Läden schon in der ersten Aprilhälfte wiedereröffnen, Apfelpage.de berichtete. Zumindest in Deutschland wird das wohl nicht passieren, hier bleibt das öffentliche Leben mindestens bis zum 19. April weitgehend stillgelegt. Auch danach ist eine Rückkehr zur Normalität allenfalls auf Raten möglich.

Nachfolgend das Memo von Deirdre O’Brien im Wortlaut:

Thank you to all our teams for staying connected, supporting one another, and keeping our Apple family the innovative and compassionate team it’s always been — in good times and challenging ones.

I first want to share an update on Apple’s COVID-19 response here in the US. At this time, we anticipate that flexible work arrangements will remain in place for all offices, and all Retail stores will remain closed, until early May. We are continuing to monitor local conditions for every Apple facility on a daily basis, and we will make our reopening decisions on the basis of thorough, thoughtful reviews and the latest guidance from local governments and public health experts. As always, you can check the People site for the latest information.

I also want to recognize our COVID-19 Response Team, which is doing an amazing job evaluating how COVID-19 affects everyone at Apple and making sure we take every step to protect the health and safety of our communities. The executive team is meeting daily and closely coordinating with teams across the company, and together, we’re navigating a public health crisis that affects every place and every person differently.

Wherever you are, I want to underscore that Apple’s focus is on supporting you. Whether it’s caring for a sick loved one, caring for a child, or a health challenge you’re facing — our goal is to make sure everyone has the flexibility, the support system and the resources to stay well, mind and body. We know many parents are balancing homeschooling with working, and our teams are working on options to make sure parents have the support and the flexibility to adjust their schedules as needed. We’re encouraging all our team members to be open with their managers about the challenges they’re facing, to ask for flexibility if and when they need it — and we want our managers to know they are empowered to accommodate their team members’ specific needs. In that spirit of caring for ourselves and for one another, I want to remind everyone of the Employee Assistance Program. EAP has so many great resources — including counseling, financial coaching and other work-life tools — to help guide and support you through challenging times. It’s there for you 24/7, and it’s another reminder of the depth of resources available to you. Finally, I know all of us are sending our best wishes to members of our Apple family who are ill. We are one global community — all of us are impacted by one another’s suffering. Please know that our thoughts are with you, always.

Thank you for all that you bring to Apple, and for the example of positivity, compassion, and teamwork you set for one another and for the world. See you soon.
Deirdre

A memo

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