Oct 02,V7N- The U.S. National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) has issued a complaint accusing Apple of violating employees' rights to organize and advocate for improved working conditions. The complaint alleges that Apple required employees nationwide to sign illegal confidentiality, non-disclosure, and non-compete agreements, alongside imposing overly broad policies on misconduct and social media use. According to the NLRB, these actions interfered with employees' rights under federal labor law.

Apple has responded, asserting that it respects its employees' rights to discuss wages, hours, and working conditions, and disagrees with the NLRB's claims. The company intends to contest the allegations at a hearing in January if the case is not settled.

The complaint originated from a 2021 charge filed by former Apple senior engineering manager Ashley Gjovik. Gjovik claimed that Apple’s policies discouraged employees from discussing workplace issues such as pay equity and discrimination. She also filed a lawsuit against Apple, accusing the company of retaliating against her for filing the NLRB complaints and attempting to organize other workers. Although a judge dismissed most of her claims, she was given the opportunity to amend her lawsuit.

Apple is also facing other labor-related cases, including allegations of unlawful termination of an employee at its Cupertino headquarters and interference in a union campaign at an Atlanta retail store. Despite the ongoing legal challenges, Apple continues to deny any wrongdoing. Since 2022, two U.S. Apple stores have unionized, and efforts are underway to organize additional locations.

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