The National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) has issued a formal complaint against Apple Inc., alleging that the tech giant has violated employees’ rights to organize and advocate for better working conditions.
The complaint, announced late Monday, claims that Apple enforced a series of unlawful workplace rules, including mandatory confidentiality, non-disclosure, and non-compete agreements, along with overly broad social media policies.According to the NLRB, these practices interfere with employees’ rights under federal labor law, coercing them away from discussing critical workplace issues such as pay equity and discrimination.
The complaint follows charges filed in 2021 by Ashley Gjovik, a former senior engineering manager at Apple, who argued that the company’s policies deter employees from engaging in open dialogue about their rights.In response, Apple firmly rejected the allegations, asserting that it has always respected employees’ rights to discuss wages, hours, and working conditions. “We strongly disagree with these claims and will continue to share the facts at the hearing,” the company stated.If the case does not reach a settlement, it is set to be heard by an administrative judge in January.
The NLRB is seeking to require Apple to rescind the contested rules and inform its U.S. workforce of their legal rights. Decisions made by administrative judges can be reviewed by the five-member labor board, and their rulings may be appealed to federal appeals courts.
As the case unfolds, it highlights ongoing tensions between corporate policies and employee rights in an increasingly scrutinized labor landscape.
