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Apple has told teams that maintain its corporate retail group that they must apply for new roles.
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If they don’t, they will be laid off.
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It signals another cost-cutting measure by Apple, which has so far stopped short of broad layoffs.
Apple Inc. is cutting a limited number of positions within its corporate retail teams, marking its first known internal job cuts since it embarked on a cost-cutting initiative last year.
According to sources who asked not to be identified, the company is shedding positions in what it calls its development and preservation teams, which are responsible for the construction and upkeep of Apple retail stores and other facilities worldwide.
While the number of individuals impacted is unknown, it is believed to be small. The firm is internally promoting the move as a way to improve operations, rather than a cost-cutting measure.
Although Apple’s layoffs seem to be on a smaller scale, the company can no longer be viewed as an example of a business that hasn’t resorted to employee layoffs.
The deadline for affected employees to submit their applications for open positions within the organization is the end of the week, with up to four months of severance pay offered to those who cannot stay.
The move comes amid concerns about a possible economic slowdown caused by rising interest rates, which have already led to significant job losses in several sectors in recent months.
While several major tech companies have laid off more than 10,000 employees at a time, the teams in charge of building and maintaining Apple retail stores and other facilities worldwide appear to be the ones most affected by the job cuts.