Certain Apple employees based in San Diego, California, must relocate to Austin, Texas, or risk being laid off.
Apple told 121 workers in the company’s Data Operations Annotations (DOA) division that they would be terminated on April 26 if they did not agree to relocate to the tech giant’s Austin campus by the end of February, Bloomberg reported.
Apple’s DOA division is responsible for improving and amplifying Siri’s functionality across different languages and dialects. Due to the complex nature of different languages, Apple operates DOA offices in India, China, Ireland, Spain, and the U.S.
While Apple’s overseas operations will not be impacted, the company’s domestic operations are being unified at the Austin campus in a strategic move to streamline operations.
A spokesperson for Apple confirmed the move to Bloomberg, stating the company was combining “Data Operations Annotations teams in the U.S. together at our campus in Austin, where a majority of the team is already based.”
The announcement, which was made by Christine DeFilippo, Apple’s senior director of operations, came as a surprise to many workers at the San Diego office who indicated they were unwilling to relocate, according to Bloomberg, citing unnamed sources familiar with the matter.
While some employees have reservations about the work transition, the spokesperson said, “Everyone currently employed will have the opportunity to continue their role with Apple in Austin.”
Apple is offering employees who agree to the move a $7,000 stipend to help with the relocation process.
On the other hand, those who choose to leave Apple will see their roles eliminated at the end of April. These employees will receive a four-week severance package and six months of health insurance. Employees will also receive an additional week of compensation for every year worked, per Bloomberg.
