Apple is reportedly planning to merge its Siri quality control team, which will consist of 121 employees in San Diego, with the team based in Austin (Texas). The decision is expected to result in job relocations for some of its employees, by having potential job cuts for those who are unwilling to move.
Relocation and job transition offers:
Employees who are willing to relocate may face potential job termination by April 26 (2024). As per the Bloomberg report, Apple is providing a relocation incentive with a USD 7,000 (around Rs 5,80,000) stipend for those who are willing to move to Austin.
Alternatively, the company has been encouraging affected employees to apply for other positions within the tech giant.
Employee Concerns:
While Apple has assured that the Siri quality control team members can continue their roles in Austin, some employees do express their doubts about qualifying for the other roles within the company in Austin.
Many reportedly do not plan to relocate, which has further raised concerns about their job security.
Apple's approach to workforce changes:
Unlike other major tech companies like Meta, Google and Microsoft, Apple Inc., has avoided large-scale employee layoffs in the past two years. The consolidation of the Siri quality control teams looks like a part of a strategic workforce adjustment for the company.
Compensation and severance packages:
For those opting to relocate, Apple is planning to offer a USD 7,000 stipend, while those who are unwilling to move will receive 4 weeks of severance pay and an additional week's worth for each year worked.
Furthermore, six months of health insurance coverage will be provided for those affected by the consolidation.
Team Responsibilities:
The San Diego team is currently handling Siri recordings in various languages, including English, Spanish, Hebrew and Arabic. This move comes as Apple continues to focus on AI development, by releasing frameworks and libraries supporting such initiatives and optimizing large language models for use on iPhones.
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Inputs from IANS
