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Memo: Apple HR head Denise Young-Smith announces major enhancements to employee benefits

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Apple announced some new benefits today for employees in an internal email, but it’s also looking to get some press out of the move by making the news public in a statement to Fortune. 9to5Mac has obtained the full copy of the email to employees from the company’s head of HR Denise Young-Smith (embedded below).  

We know how hard all of you are working: from the teams designing, producing, launching, and supporting our incredible products to the thousands of retail employees sharing the excitement and experience face to face with our customers every day. You are the reason we are able to change the world, again and again. We appreciate all that you give to Apple to make us great. Because we want to make sure you get the support you need, we’re excited to introduce significant changes to our global well-being programs for both part-time and full-time employees.

Among the updated benefits are increased time off for parental leave, reimbursements for educational classes, a Student Loan Refinancing Program for U.S. employees and an donation matching program. Smith told employees in her email to employees today that Apple has matched “over $25 million of employees’ charitable contributions” since its Apple Matching Gifts Program started. 

Apple also announced that it’s expanding the program that matches charitable donations made by employees. Some perks will only go to certain employees, the donation matching program will be available to all. It will also start making donations for hours of non-profit work from employees: “Now we’re going to help you do even more for causes that are important to you — by expanding the Apple Matching Gifts Program to all Apple employees around the world and by donating money to causes where you volunteer your time.”

As for parental leave, Apple is now allowing paid time off up “four weeks before your due date and up to twelve to fourteen weeks after your baby is born. Other new parents will receive full pay for up to six weeks.”

Apple also gave Fortune details on its new wellness center available to employees on the company’s Cupertino campus, which has been open for over a year now. 

Smith’s full email to employees is below:

We know how hard all of you are working: from the teams designing, producing, launching, and supporting our incredible products to the thousands of retail employees sharing the excitement and experience face to face with our customers every day. You are the reason we are able to change the world, again and again. We appreciate all that you give to Apple to make us great.

Because we want to make sure you get the support you need, we’re excited to introduce significant changes to our global well-being programs for both part-time and full-time employees:

• Educational assistance will be available to all full-time employees and part-time retail employees worldwide and will now cover courses related to any job at Apple — including English language courses at any institution.
• We’re thrilled to introduce a Student Loan Refinancing Program for U.S. employees. This program can ease the burden of past loans and help you cover future expenses for your college-aged children.
• Giving back is something that’s important to so many of us. Since the Apple Matching Gifts Program began, Apple has matched over $25 million of employees’ charitable contributions. Now we’re going to help you do even more for causes that are important to you — by expanding the Apple Matching Gifts Program to all Apple employees around the world and by donating money to causes where you volunteer your time.
• In the U.S., we’re enhancing our maternity and new parent leave options for full-time employees. As a new mom, you will be able to take fully paid leave for up to four weeks before your due date and up to twelve to fourteen weeks after your baby is born. Other new parents will receive full pay for up to six weeks.

To learn about these changes and more, or to provide feedback on any of Apple’s well-being programs, I encourage you to visit HRWeb.

As we embark upon these busy and important months for our customers, please make sure to give yourself the attention you deserve. Your work is vital, but your happiness and well-being are what will bring true success.
Denise

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Comments

  1. Ted McDonald (@tedmcdo) - 9 years ago

    Hard to complain about that!

  2. how about let letting them sleep for more than 4 hours a day.

  3. herb02135go - 9 years ago

    Wow. Apple is doing what many companies have been doing.

    I thought following others was limited to smartphone features.

    • proudappleuser - 9 years ago

      What is wrong with you? Who poured salt in your eyes?

    • If you do not like Apple, that’s fine. But most of us here have been Apple users and fans for many years, and Apple websites and forums are places we seek community. Please redirect your needlessly negative energy at another website and group.

      • 89p13 - 9 years ago

        Then Old Herb would have no life, no reason to climb out from under his rock and post about the sheep.

        You would remove Herb’s very existence. Great idea!

    • Ethan Morgan (@duepeak) - 9 years ago

      I used to work at Apple retail for three years and can tell you that every one of these things was already in place, they are merely being expanded. Benefits-wise, Apple is hands-down the best company I have worked for.

    • Andrew John - 9 years ago

      Unlike samescum who still use child labor in their factories, which is why they refuse inspections of their facilities. I suppose samescum enhanced working conditions would mean the kids get a cardboard box to sleep in, instead of the concrete floor.

  4. beyondthetech - 9 years ago

    Perfect timing, since we just heard from ex-Apple managers that the work environment was beyond unbalanced.

  5. This isn’t so revolutionary. Try working for an EU company, where you get up to a WHOLE YEAR off with pay. In fact, its the law of the country so as a company, you can’t contest it. Also you can’t get fired for being pregnant either.
    So Apple (because its in USA) is just following a trend thats already been in place for many years.

    And I can just hear Americans crying now “Oh no, its Socialist, surely we can’t get benefits from our government?”….

    • dustinblake - 9 years ago

      Not all Americans look down upon the European way of doing things—or even socialism!

      There’s a good number of us Americans who would much rather have a real and comprehensive system of single-payer healthcare, strong pro-worker benefits and protections, and regulation aimed at ensuring that business was not only good business, but also good for their workers, their communities, and our collective future instead of short-term thinking and il-begoten financial trickery. Something like a social/market economy combining the best parts of both Socialism and “free”-market economy instead of the current privatization of wins and socialization of losses that we currently suffer.

    • Jakob™ (@jakoblj) - 9 years ago

      In Sweden, parents get 480 days of paid parental-leave (by the goverment). This is restricted to 80% of your salary but many employees will pay you that extra 20% anyway…

  6. HRO Partners - 9 years ago

    How do you think this will impact apple?

  7. Wow, in Canada the government gives new Mothers a minimum of 15 weeks at 55% of what they earn. They can start leave up to 8 weeks prior to delivery. Then parental leave is 35 weeks. These 35 weeks can be split between the parents either consecutively or concurrently – allowing parents to switch back and forth between work and leave as many times as they desire; or used by one, including the Mother in addition to the original 15 weeks. Providing a total of 50 weeks, nearly a year – of leave. Employers often top up this payment to 85%. They will often provide 35 weeks of top up to the Mother. Additionally, the first two weeks are payment of 85% of earnings – not a top up. This can be taken in conjunction with government benefits. Providing a total of 37 weeks of employer assisted maternity leave. So – how is Apple’s maternity leave an improvement?

  8. lcwilson3 - 9 years ago

    Apple continues to lead the way with innovative benefits for their employees!

    “Your work is vital, but your happiness and well-being are what will bring true success.” – Denise

  9. Ian Graham - 9 years ago

    “Your work is vital, but your happiness and well-being are what will bring true success.” – Denise
    As a former Creative, seeing this new policy and comment from Denise is VERY frustrating! Happiness? For 3 YEARS I fought with mgmt about getting my certifications for Apple pro apps which supposedly was to be a requisite to be a Creative. I ended up paying out of pocket to do it myself! You would think that Apple would pay for us to do APPLE APPS and their certification! But then again, it seems Apple doesn’t want to expand and teach anyone outside of the seniors range. Enrich lives? Really? Teaching Finder basics and Safari bookmarks to 99% of people? Also, for this same amount of time, I wanted to be part time since day one as I have other means of making money and I like variety in my life. But the response was always, we can’t do part time, it’s a “career” role. In fact they made me out to be “negative” because I wanted PT! Really?! I’m willing to split my position with someone else who wants the experience and I’m NEGATIVE!? 2 weeks after I’m gone they posted 2 PART TIME POSITIONS! Total asshat lying bastard managers and HR!! But the lies were so brutal from even the first day of hiring. “Oh you’ll have SO much time to do your other interests!”… nope… Work/life balance is terrible! Lastly… LOSE THE STOOLS! You want well being? Puhlease!! I suffered so much back, shoulder and neck pain from sitting 5-8 hours a day on those damn no back support, plywood seat, POS for chairs! I’m happy to be out of the BS Apple juice junk. Yes, it paid ok and had benefits but they hardly made up for the mgmt/hr lies, manipulations, and watching my mental and physical health deteriorate with stress. It also was very obvious how many double standards there are between apple staff and their managers. I personally saw and heard mgmt/store leaders manipulate staff and one post pictures of Apple’s back of house with some very childish and disturbing photos that would automatically fire ANY other Apple staff member. Some of the worse and uninspiring “managers” have been hired and many of us don’t get the “ex-clothing retail manager”. Honestly, Apple retail as a “career”? Smart ones move on to MUCH better jobs with less BS juice! Many of the staff still there are unhappy and tolerating it. I still love the products and use them in my work everyday… but the culture and values at Apple stores needs to change. The “Credo” is so not used and might as well be burnt!

Author

Avatar for Jordan Kahn Jordan Kahn

Jordan writes about all things Apple as Senior Editor of 9to5Mac, & contributes to 9to5Google, 9to5Toys, & Electrek.co. He also co-authors 9to5Mac’s Logic Pros series.