Apple Hit With Federal Lawsuit Over Store Manager's Harassment Of Jewish Employee

Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) is facing a federal lawsuit after a U.S. agency accused the company of religious discrimination and retaliation against a Jewish employee who says he was harassed and ultimately fired.

Apple shares fell 0.44% to $253.51 in after-hours trading, after rising 0.079% during regular market hours on Tuesday, according to Benzinga Pro. Despite the decline, the stock is still up 4.42% year-to-date.

EEOC Alleges Religious Discrimination

On Tuesday, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission filed the complaint in the Alexandria, Virginia, federal court.

The EEOC alleged that a 16-year Apple employee in Reston, Virginia, who had consistently positive reviews, faced discrimination after converting to Judaism in August 2023.

The suit alleged that when the employee requested Fridays and Saturdays off for Sabbath observance, his manager denied the request. This eventually led him to work on those days against his religious beliefs.

According to the suit, shortly after, Apple allegedly began disciplining him over grooming policies and ultimately terminated him in January 2024, citing policy violations.

The suit claims Apple violated Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibits discrimination based on religion.

Apple did not immediately respond to Benzinga's request for comments.

Benzinga's Edge Stock Rankings rate AAPL's stock quality in the 70th percentile, showing how it compares with Meta and other competitors.

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