Fired Apple employee files labor charge alleging retaliation

A former Apple employee filed a charge with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) alleging that she was retaliated against for advocating for better workplace conditions.

Janneke Parrish, who was a product manager on Apple Maps, alleged in her complaint that Apple fired her “in attempt to nip-in-the-bud the successful organizing campaign that Parrish and her coworkers established to address and redress employees’ workplace concerns,” The Washington Post reported.  

“No one is above the law. Not individuals. Not giant tech companies,” Parrish said on Twitter about the complaint. “We need to hold companies accountable for their actions.”

No one is above the law. Not individuals. Not giant tech companies.

We need to hold companies accountable for their actions. https://t.co/OVD1vXeLTO

— Janneke Parrish (@JannekeParrish) November 2, 2021

The Hill has reached out to Apple for comment.

At least three corporate employees for Apple have now filed NLRB “charges” against the company in recent months, the Post noted.

Over the summer, more than 500 employees began sharing their experiences with racism, sexism and other forms of harassment using the hashtag #AppleToo.

Parrish was fired in mid-October, hours after she was quoted in a story for the Post supporting her co-worker Cher Scarlett, who co-founded the movement.

Parrish told the newspaper that before she was fired, Apple told her she was under investigation for allegedly leaking details about a virtual town hall meeting that Apple CEO Tim Cook held on Sept. 18, during which he addressed allegations of workplace misconduct. She has denied leaking the information.

Scarlett was placed on paid leave from the company and has also filed a charge with the NLRB, the Post reported.

Scarlett said on Twitter Tuesday that she is no longer on leave.  

Apple has previously said it is “deeply committed to creating and maintaining a positive and inclusive workplace,” and that it takes “all concerns” from employees seriously,” Reuters noted.