Apple is facing allegations of illegal workplace practices, with the U.S. National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) accusing the tech giant of violating employees’ rights to organize and advocate for better working conditions.
The NLRB’s complaint claims that Apple required employees across the U.S. to sign confidentiality, non-disclosure, and non-compete agreements that are in violation of labor laws. Additionally, the company is accused of enforcing overly broad misconduct and social media policies that further restrict employees’ rights, Reuters news report said.
The NLRB asserts that Apple’s actions amounted to “interfering with, restraining, and coercing employees” in exercising their rights to organize, a violation of federal labor law. The complaint is a result of charges filed in 2021 by former senior engineering manager Ashley Gjovik, who claimed Apple’s policies discouraged employees from discussing issues such as pay equity and workplace discrimination.
Apple, which has 164,000 full-time employees, has not commented on the allegations. If the company does not settle the claims, the case is set to go before an administrative judge in January. The NLRB seeks to have Apple rescind its unlawful workplace rules and inform its U.S. workforce of their legal rights. The case could escalate, as administrative rulings can be appealed to federal courts.
This is not the first time Apple has faced legal challenges over its labor practices. In May, the NLRB ruled that an Apple store manager in Manhattan unlawfully interrogated an employee about their support for unionization. Meanwhile, Apple is involved in two other pending NLRB cases, including accusations of firing an employee at its Cupertino headquarters for criticizing management and interfering with a union campaign at a retail store in Atlanta.
Ashley Gjovik has also filed a separate lawsuit against Apple in California federal court, claiming that the company retaliated against her for filing complaints and attempting to organize workers. Apple has denied wrongdoing in all cases and is seeking to have Gjovik’s lawsuit dismissed.
The NLRB complaint comes as unionization efforts continue to gain traction within Apple’s workforce. Since 2022, two Apple retail stores in the U.S. have successfully unionized, with unions working to organize other locations across the country.
