The cases, filed on August 26 and September 1, are being
reviewed by the agency's Oakland, California, office.
"We take all concerns seriously and we thoroughly
investigate whenever a concern is raised and, out of respect for the privacy of
any individuals involved, we do not discuss specific employee matters,”
Cupertino, California-based Apple, said in a statement.
Ashley Gjovik, a senior engineering programme manager at
Apple, told Reuters that she filed the August 26 charge, which cites harassment
from a manager, reduction of responsibilities, and increases in unfavourable
work, among other complaints.
The NLRB investigates all charges it receives. In the event
it finds a charge has merit, it prosecutes a case against the employer.
Employees in Silicon Valley, especially Apple workers, are
known for avoiding publicity, reflecting companies' desire to keep new products
tightly under wraps. In recent weeks, some current and former Apple workers
have critiqued company culture on Twitter with the hashtag #AppleToo. US law
allows employees to openly discuss certain topics including working conditions.
In addition, workers have engaged in a heated debate on the
messaging platform Slack about Apple's move to scan US customer phones and
computers for child sex abuse images, Reuters reported.
Gjovik told Reuters that after Apple began investigating her
complaints, as well as allegations of sexism, her managers began re-assigning
her work to colleagues and loading her up with undesirable tasks. The company
placed her on paid administrative leave in early August. She said Apple had not
finished its investigation.
Gjovik said she has been encouraged to see more employees
speaking out about the company's culture in recent weeks.
"The biggest obstacle for making progress at Apple is
the culture of secrecy and alienation," she said.
© Reuters
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