In the class action complaint that was filed in a state court in California, the plaintiffs are seeking damages for more than 12,000 female employees of Apple.
Apple has been accused of underpaying 12,000 female employees, in a class action lawsuit that was brought by two women against the company. The case demands damages for the employees, both present and past. Over a period of four years, the lawsuit alleges that the tech giant “systematically” paid its female employees a wage that was lower than that of their male colleagues.
According to the Wall Street Journal, the case that was submitted on Thursday to a state court in San Francisco County, California, asserts that Apple’s strategy of setting employees’ compensation based on their previous employment is the source of the company’s systemic habit of sexual discrimination.
According to the complaint, Apple has been using the former pay rates that job applicants have provided in order to determine their starting salary prior to the fall of 2017. In the next year, Apple inquired about the applicants’ anticipated financial compensation. It is alleged in the case that both of these practices contributed to the lower pay rates that women received in the workplace. According to the report, the latter strategy, which involves asking potential employees about their pay expectations, is “highly correlated with prior pay.” Studies have shown that individuals who are questioned about their pay expectations typically answer a number that is slightly higher than the pay they received at their most recent or most recent position.
The lawsuit asserts that Apple’s policy or practice of collecting information about pay expectations and using that information to set starting salary has had the effect of perpetuating past pay disparities and paying women less than men performing substantially similar work. This is evidenced by the fact that the pay policy for job applicants created a pattern of lower pay for female employees.
In addition, the lawsuit goes even farther by implying that Apple routinely penalize female employees due to “scored categories” of job performances that are responsible for pay bonuses and promotions.
According to the complaint, “Apple’s performance evaluation system is biased against women because men are rewarded for scored categories such as teamwork and leadership, while women are penalized for the same behaviors.” This is the reason why the rating system is skewed against women.
As a result of the alleged inconsistencies on Apple’s part, the class action lawsuit is made with the purpose of obtaining compensation for damages and “declaratory relief,” as well as the reimbursement of low earnings and perks. Additionally, the plaintiffs are requesting that the court hold a trial with a jury in order to hear their complaint.
In the year 2022, reporters from the Financial Times conducted interviews with a number of female employees of Apple who said that they had been subjected to sexual abuse and bullying while they were on the property. Then, when they filed complaints with human resources, they said that their cases were either reduced or disregarded, or that they faced retaliation for making their complaints. They also claimed that they were targeted for retaliation.
An incident that is particularly shocking was provided by Jayne Whitt, who had previously served as the director of Apple’s legal department. Whitt claims that a colleague had hacked into her devices and threatened her with death. Her complaint was made with HR, and she was given the assurance that action would be taken. Whitt asserts that the human resources department at Apple did not even bother to reprimand the employee, and that they ultimately terminated her employment. The issue was described in an online article that she wrote, which triggered a wave of support and similar accounts from other female employees of Apple. She blew the whistle on Apple describing the situation.