This morning, Apple CEO Tim Cook sent a memo to all employees to recognize Apple’s September accomplishments and the products still in the pipeline. Cook also announced that Apple employees will receive extended vacation time for the November Thanksgiving holiday, which is an offer that Cook has extended in previous years. “This month has been one for the record books,” Cook wrote in the email, highlighting the iPhone 6, iPhone 6 Plus, iOS 8, Apple Pay, and the preview of the Apple Watch.
“Each of these introductions represents years of innovation and hard work by teams all across Apple,” according to Cook. “Many of you have put the best work of your lives into these amazing new products, which bring together world-class hardware, software and services in the way only Apple can,” he added. Cook also acknowledged the teams working on Apple’s efforts in user privacy, the environment, climate change, and improving educational materials and services for students.
With all that in mind, Cook tells employees that “without you, none of these accomplishments would have been possible. Our people are the soul of our company, and we all need time to refresh and renew.” So, he’s “happy to announce that [Apple is] extending the Thanksgiving holiday this year. [Apple] will shut down with pay on November 24, 25 and 26 so our teams can enjoy the whole week off.” Of course, while many Cupertino-based employees will get the week off, retail and AppleCare assets will need to be on call. So, those teams will get the same days off at a later point.
The full email from Cook to employees is available to read below:
Team,
This month has been one for the record books.
Just two weeks ago, we launched the biggest advancements in iPhone history with iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus, which our customers absolutely love. We introduced Apple Pay, a new service which will make mobile payments easier, more secure and more private. And we previewed the next chapter in Apple’s story with Apple Watch, our most personal device ever and one which has already captured the world’s imagination.
Our customers are enjoying new ways to use their iPhone, iPad or iPod touch with iOS 8’s intuitive new features, and the ground-breaking security of iOS 8 has demonstrated our strong commitment to protecting users’ privacy. Coming up this fall is OS X Yosemite, with continuity features that deliver an even more fluid experience across all our iOS devices and Macs.
Each of these introductions represents years of innovation and hard work by teams all across Apple. Many of you have put the best work of your lives into these amazing new products, which bring together world-class hardware, software and services in the way only Apple can. This is what we do best, and the result transforms people’s lives. It’s simply inspiring.
I am also incredibly inspired and proud of all of our work to protect the environment, advance human rights, and change the way teachers teach and students learn.
Without you, none of these accomplishments would have been possible. Our people are the soul of our company, and we all need time to refresh and renew. To provide that time, and to recognize all of these achievements — as well as your boundless talent and dedication — I’m happy to announce that we’re extending the Thanksgiving holiday this year. We will shut down with pay on November 24, 25 and 26 so our teams can enjoy the whole week off.
Retail, AppleCare, and several other teams will continue to serve our customers over those days, but will receive the same amount of time off at a date that’s best for them. Please check with your manager for details. International teams will schedule vacation days when appropriate for their country.
Enjoy the extra time off with your families and loved ones. You’ve earned it!
Tim
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I agree. There haven’t been this many letdowns as far as I can remember. Apple sales are up. Customer SAT from this month is bound to be down.
Would’ve been nice if Tim gave 1.5x or 2x for those working in the retail chain for those three days. Just saying’.
Or for those of use who are only part time
Not sure what’s new here… Apple always closes corp offices down for 3 days during Thanksgiving and gives all retail employees 24 hours of paid time off as well. What am I missing here???
Apparently the news is that someone leaked an internal email from a Cook. But I’m not even sure how that’s news anymore because it happens every time Cook sends a company wide email. Big deal.
“Apple always closes corp offices down for 3 days during Thanksgiving and gives all retail employees 24 hours of paid time off as well” Thanksgiving is on the 27th and Apple would close for the day as Friday making it a four day weekend for most employees. This extension is for Mon-Thurs the 24-26 Now making it a 10-day weekend for most.
Well, whoever screwed the pooch on the Apple Store Opening on September 19 should have to work on Thanksgiving, Christmas and every other holiday for the next 2 years.
Just my opinion – as one who woke up at 2:45 a.m. to try and get one of the first. :(
Let me guess, you’re one of those monsters who runs out right after scarfing down Thanksgiving dinner to get those terrible “black Friday” sales that starts at midnight.
What did they screw up? They opened at 8AM. what pooch got screwed?
You’re mad because you weren’t first in line and it’s Apple’s fault?
You’re going to find life very disappointing …
“climate change”?? REALLY? Until when are they gonna keep pumping that BULLSHIT HOAX!? CLIMATE has been changing for billions of years on this planets and these liberal/socialists morons has done a great job in brainwashing the weak minds with apocalyptic disasters based on computer models fed with manipulated data. NO temperature increased for the past 18 years, NO polar melting (in fact they are expanding), NO frequent catastrophic weather events (where are the many Katrinas that were supposed to happen every year???).
This political agenda called “global warming” errr.. sorry… I mean “climate change” is nothing more than a scheme for wealth distribution and government control. Any one who follows that fanatical cult is a fool.
So it’s probably true to say there will be no new product launches at thanksgiving.
I wonder if the employee in charge of the 8.0.1 update will be starting his Thanksgiving vacation today?
For the record, I really don’t hope anyone would lose their job over it. Mistakes happen-just fix it quickly, learn from it and move on.
I’m guessing somebody’s head went rolling across the floor today
Good to see Tim bending over backwards to keep the iCrew happy! (Two puns in there, one a bit naughty really, but I’m British, and we do smut, so there!)