A U.S. labor board has filed a complaint against Apple, alleging that the company has infringed upon employees' rights to organize and advocate for improved working conditions by enforcing a range of unlawful workplace policies.
The National Labor Relations Board, in its complaint announced late Monday, asserts that Apple mandated employees across the country to sign illegal confidentiality, non-disclosure, and non-compete agreements, while also implementing excessively broad policies regarding misconduct and social media usage.
The complaint charges Apple with "interfering with, restraining, and coercing employees in the exercise of" their rights as protected under federal labor law.
In response, Apple issued a statement through a spokesperson, asserting that the company has consistently honored its employees' rights to discuss matters related to wages, hours, and working conditions, as reflected in its employment policies.
"We strongly disagree with these claims and will continue to present the facts during the hearing," the company stated.
Should Apple choose not to settle the matter, it will be brought before an administrative judge starting in January. The agency is seeking to compel Apple to revoke the allegedly unlawful policies and inform its entire U.S. workforce of their legal rights.
Decisions made by administrative judges can be reviewed by the five-member labor board, and their rulings are subject to appeal in federal appeals courts.
This complaint originates from charges filed against Apple in 2021 by Ashley Gjovik, a former senior engineering manager. Gjovik contended that various Apple policies, particularly those concerning confidentiality and social media, discourage employees from discussing critical issues such as pay equity and gender discrimination with one another and the media.
Additionally, Gjovik filed a lawsuit in California federal court in May, alleging that Apple retaliated against her for submitting the NLRB complaints and for her efforts to organize fellow workers. Apple has denied any wrongdoing and has sought to have the case dismissed.
The organization is currently dealing with a minimum of two additional pending cases before the NLRB, alleging that it terminated an employee at its Cupertino, California headquarters for voicing criticism of management and unlawfully obstructed a union campaign at a retail outlet in Atlanta. The company has refuted these allegations.
In May, the NLRB determined that a manager at an Apple store in Manhattan had unlawfully questioned an employee regarding his union support. Since 2022, two Apple stores in the United States have successfully unionized, and efforts are underway to organize several more locations.