Apple reportedly asked U.S. employees to share their immunization status

Apple has asked all of its U.S. employees to voluntarily share their immunization status. According to Bloomberg, the company recently sent a note asking workers, whether or not they currently work in an office, to share this information by September 17. Apple reportedly intends to use the data it collects to inform its ongoing COVID-19 response.

Bloomberg reports that the company has told employees it will keep their immunization status “confidential and secure” by aggregating information, but said that may change in the future. “It is possible that your vaccination status will be used in an identifiable way, as well as other information about your general working environment, such as the location of your building, if we determine or, if necessary, this information is necessary to ensure a healthy and safe working environment, ”Apple said in the note, according to the outlet. It is not clear what repercussions an employee will face if they do not provide their vaccination status on time.

We have contacted the company for comment.

Unlike Google, Apple currently does not require employees to be vaccinated before they can go to the office. Yet the company began to push its workers in this direction with more force. For example, he recently launched a campaign encouraging workers to get vaccinated.

The company’s demand, and the admission that the information employees share with it can be used in identifiable ways, comes as Apple faces increasing scrutiny in how it handles privacy. of its employees. A recent report by The edge detailed some of the company’s policies on this front. For example, one of these rules prohibits employees from wiping down their work devices before returning them to the company. This latter policy could further fuel these concerns.