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Apple has faced increasing pressure from employees about its work culture.
James Martin / CNET
A former Apple engineering manager who filed a complaint to the United States National Labor Relations Board last month, claiming she had been harassed and retaliated against, was reportedly fired by Apple on Thursday. She says she has now received approval from civil rights agencies in California and the United States to sue her former employer.
Ashley Gjovik told news outlets including Bloomberg that she was fired from Apple after months of public discussions about harassment of colleagues, managers and back-office teams at Apple. She took administrative leave during the summer, following her complaints about a hostile work environment.
Gjovik, who is one of the at least two Apple employees who filed complaints with government authorities over harassment and work culture issues over the past two months, did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the right to sue notices. Apple, which previously declined to discuss individual employee issues, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
“Apple has an internal culture of surveillance, intimidation and alienation,” Gjovik tweeted August 30.
Gjovik’s government approval to sue Apple is just the latest wave of employee activism at the iPhone maker this year. In recent months, employees have circulated internal petitions and informal inquiries, pushing back Apple’s return-to-work plans, arguing instead for more flexible working conditions. Employees also criticized Apple’s plans to scan the iPhones, iPads and Macs of some U.S. customers for images of child abuse, fearing it could lead to censorship or arrest by repressive governments (Apple has since delayed his plans.)
Current and former Apple employees are increasingly turning to Twitter to voice their complaints under the hashtag #AppleToo, an effort to discuss the toxic elements of Apple employee culture and push for change. In an open letter to Apple CEO Tim Cook and senior company management last week, the group called on the tech giant to improve the way it treats workers and “keep its promise of inclusion, diversity and equity ”.
In the letter, the group requested increased confidentiality of personal information; transparent and fair compensation; an audit of all relationships with third parties; increased accountability within management and human resources teams; and a process for sharing group concerns. The letter also calls for a new investigation into all reports of “racism, discrimination, abuse, harassment, suppression of concerted activities and retaliation” at Apple.
Gjovik tweeted that while she is not involved in #AppleToo, she supports their efforts. She has also shared her story widely on social media, including posts of some emails and exchanges detailing the harsh environment she experienced. She said she too hopes to hold the company accountable.
“I have to think they know I’m not going to give up,” she told Bloomberg in Friday’s interview. “I’m always very dedicated to holding them accountable for this and trying to make things better for my colleagues and others in workplaces like this.”
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