Apple is now asking some of its employees to get ready to return to the office starting next week, on June 15. The company is planning a “very limited” return with restrictions, based on an internal memo obtained by Bloomberg.

There are already a small number of employees and executives who are back in the offices, but now the company wants to bring even more people back to work as it prepares new product launches for the second half of 2020.

What Apple calls “Phase 1” will begin next Monday, allowing more workers to return to Apple’s headquarters on specific days. That includes the Apple Park, Infinite Loop Campus, and other Apple facilities in the Silicon Valley.

According to Bloomberg sources, most of the staff who are now returning to offices works on projects that are scheduled to be launched in the second half of 2020. With WWDC 2020 coming up on June 22, employees are likely to be committed to working on related projects. Other people will continue to work from home until second order.

Some Apple senior executives, as well as engineers working on hardware and software, have been spending time at the office as the company gears up for a series of new product launches in the second half of 2020. A small portion of staff remained throughout the Covid-19 lockdown period.

As reported last week, workers will have to follow strict requirements to avoid COVID-19 spread. Apple requires everyone to wear masks in its buildings, and some of the areas will remain closed to avoid agglomeration. There will be constant body temperature checks, and the company also asks employees to keep distance from each other.

Apple is also reopening some of its retail stores around the world in accordance with safety regulations. However, these plans may change depending on the COVID-19 situation in different areas.

Source: 9to5mac