US Government Sues Apple for Alleged Discrimination Against Jewish Workers

The US government has filed a lawsuit against Apple, claiming it discriminated against Jewish employees. This lawsuit was brought to federal court in Virginia.

A key focus is on Tyler Stee, who worked at Apple’s Reston, Virginia location for 16 years. He consistently received positive evaluations as a “genius,” assisting customers with tech problems.

However, things changed for Stee in 2023 after he converted to Judaism. Reports indicate the store manager made comments about body odor and instructed employees not to talk about the October 7 attacks on Israel.

Additionally, the lawsuit states that the manager denied Stee’s request to take off Fridays and Saturdays for the Sabbath, which runs from sunset Friday to sunset Saturday.

Fearing job loss, Stee worked on those days, according to the suit.

It’s noted in the lawsuit that disciplinary actions against Stee began around the same time for alleged grooming policy violations.

Apple terminated his employment in January 2024, citing further grooming standard breaches. This decision allegedly followed his reminder to supervisors about a visit to Japan for religious purposes.

“Employees should not have to compromise their religious beliefs for employment or fear retaliation for seeking accommodations,” stated Debra Lawrence, a community lawyer with EEOC Philadelphia.

Apple has not yet commented on the matter.

The EEOC claims that Apple’s actions against Stee violated Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, indicating discrimination based on religion, along with retaliation for reporting such behavior.

The agency is pursuing unspecified refunds and damages for Stee.

The EEOC typically takes action against discriminatory practices but has recently intensified its focus on religious discrimination under Conservative Speaker Andrea Lucas, who was appointed during President Trump’s administration.

In August, the agency released a statement highlighting its commitment to protecting the religious freedom of American workers during Trump’s first 200 days in office. Lucas has pointed out that under President Biden, “religious protections have often been sidelined in policies.”