Apple Inc. has set a September 5 deadline for its employees to be in the office at least three days a week, according to a Bloomberg report. This is Apple's latest attempt at returning to work after the Covid-19 spikes delayed its plans several times. 

Employees will be required to work from the office on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and a regular third day that will be determined by their teams. Previously, Apple scheduled in-person work for Mondays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays. Employees were notified of the new approach on Monday.

The iPhone maker has been one of the strictest technology companies when it comes to returning employees to the office. A number of companies have become more open to remote working in recent months, including Microsoft Corp., Amazon.com Inc., and Alphabet Inc.'s Google.

Since at least June 2021, when it initially announced the three-day policy, the California-based tech giant has been striving to get its staff back in the office. However, virus outbreaks forced the firm to put back deadlines, which left employees working just two days each week. The new rule will first go into force in Silicon Valley before being implemented in more workplaces, according to the report.

This new policy follows the company's decision to drop the mask requirement in common office areas a few weeks ago. Apple had removed such a requirement at individual desks several months ago. In June, the company hosted an in-person developer conference presentation at its campus.  

There has been a decline in the seven-day case averages and daily new Covid case counts in Santa Clara County, where many of Apple's main offices are located. However, they are still much higher than before the Omicron spikes earlier in 2022. Last week, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention relaxed its recommendations pertaining to Covid-19.

The company is preparing an event in September to launch the iPhone 14 and new watches. The company is also preparing updated Macs and iPads for release later this year.