The head of fitness at Apple is stepping down amid claims of fostering a toxic work environment and harassment. This includes remarks about an Olympic skier that many found inappropriate.
Jay Blahnik, who is 57 and served as Apple’s vice president of fitness technology, allegedly made a joke during a 2021 meeting about having an affair with Olympic skier Ted Ligety, as reported by two attendees. The New York Times also noted that he suggested team members might secure Ligety’s involvement in a fitness feature by giving neck massages to Olympians.
Apple has faced criticism for seemingly protecting Blahnik. He played a significant role in developing popular fitness features for the Apple Watch and oversaw the Fitness+ service, yet the company only settled one sexual harassment claim without taking further disciplinary action. Notably, he remained within the same team and reporting structure related to the complaint.
Many current and former employees have accused Blahnik of a range of problematic behaviors, such as commenting on the bodies of trainers, using crude language about colleagues’ personal lives, and joking about alleged infidelity among staff.
A former employee’s lawsuit claims that Blahnik sexually harassed creative director Will Tidman for years, pursued romantic advances, and retaliated when those advances were unreciprocated. This claimed harassment reportedly began shortly after Tidman joined Apple in 2019 and escalated into a larger pattern of abuse and retaliation.
Employees have recounted Blahnik making comments about female trainers’ bodies, including their physical features. Additionally, he is said to have made inappropriate remarks regarding appearances and speculated about the marital fidelity of a colleague.
Former coworkers noted that Blahnik exacerbated the uncomfortable atmosphere by making jokes during calls about staff relationships, including insinuations about a male creative director and another male producer supposedly having an affair.
Allegations suggest that Blahnik “peeped” at Tidman and made various personal comments about him. The situation reportedly worsened in 2022, when he sent disturbing text messages to Tidman, prompting him to take medical leave and eventually settle with Apple over the issues.
Apart from the harassment claims, Tidman confronted Blahnik about aggressive behavior during meetings, including hostile language directed at employee Mandana Mofidi. Mofidi filed a lawsuit asserting that she faced retaliation after voicing her concerns, describing her experience as isolating, humiliating, and frightening.
Internal reviews at Apple reportedly identified problems with Blahnik’s behavior, which HR deemed harsh and demotivating. Several employees mentioned having witnessed Mofidi in distress at work, despite her being kept in the same reporting structure linked to her complaints.
Mofidi subsequently went on medical leave, was diagnosed with PTSD, and reported experiencing panic attacks and sleep issues. When she sought to return to work without reporting to Blahnik, the company allegedly denied her request and revoked her system access, effectively terminating her.
A New York attorney specializing in sexual harassment highlighted that this case underscores broader workplace inequalities. She described a dynamic where women are often held to higher standards and face backlash when they raise concerns.
She mentioned that while pursuing legal action can be intimidating, it’s sometimes essential for accountability. Standing up, she noted, is not just about one individual; it often represents a collective struggle.
Nine employees characterized the workplace as verbally abusive and manipulative, with many having taken extended medical leave since 2022. Apple has denied wrongdoing, asserting that its investigations found no evidence supporting the allegations, even while settling one harassment complaint.
The Post reached out to Apple, Blahnik, Tidman, Ligety, and Mofidi for their responses.
