US agency accuses Apple of discriminating against – Business News
A US authorities agency is suing Apple for allegedly discriminating against a Jewish employee – forcing him to work on his Sabbath and later firing him as a result of of his faith, in line with a swimsuit filed in Virginia federal courtroom.
The swimsuit alleged Tyler Steele, a 16-year worker at Apple’s Reston, Va., store, constantly obtained constructive efficiency opinions during his time as an Apple “genius,” serving to prospects troubleshoot tech points on their gadgets.
Starting in 2023, after Steele transformed to Judaism, the store supervisor informed the employee that he smelled of physique odor and ordered him to not focus on the Oct. 7 Hamas assault on Israel along with his coworkers, in line with the lawsuit filed by the US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.
A US authorities agency is suing Apple for allegedly discriminating against a Jewish employee. Getty Images
The supervisor additionally denied Steele’s lodging request to not work Fridays and Saturdays with a view to observe Sabbath, claiming Apple’s new scheduling coverage prohibited him from having each days off, in line with the lawsuit.
The Jewish Sabbath begins at sunset on Friday and ends at sunset on Saturday.
Since he feared shedding his job, Steele labored on the Sabbath, the swimsuit stated.
Around the identical time, Apple began disciplining Steele for allegedly violating the company’s grooming insurance policies, in line with the lawsuit.
Apple fired Steele in January 2024, claiming he violated its grooming requirements again, in line with the lawsuit. He was terminated shortly after reminding his supervisor of an upcoming day without work for non secular causes, the swimsuit added.
“Employees should not have to violate their religious beliefs to keep their jobs or live in fear of retribution because they requested an accommodation,” Debra Lawrence, EEOC Philadelphia’s regional legal professional, stated in a assertion.
Apple fired Steele in January 2024, claiming he violated its grooming requirements again, in line with the lawsuit. REUTERS
Apple didn’t instantly reply to The Post’s request for remark.
The EEOC is accusing Apple of violating Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 by failing to accommodate non secular practices, discriminating against workers based mostly on their faith and retaliating against an worker for complaining about discriminatory actions.
It is searching for unspecified back pay and damages for Steele.
The EEOC is accusing Apple of violating Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Getty Images
The agency often sues employers for discrimination, nevertheless it has taken new purpose at instances involving non secular discrimination underneath Acting Chair Andrea Lucas – a conservative appointed to the position by President Trump.
In August, the EEOC launched a press release boasting about its efforts to “defend the religious liberty of American workers” all through the primary 200 days of the Trump administration.
In a assertion within the press release, Lucas stated that during President Biden’s administration, “religious protections too often took a backseat to woke policies.”
