Apple is facing a new lawsuit accusing the company of violating employee privacy and curtailing their rights to discuss working conditions. The suit, filed in a California court by Amar Bhakta, a digital advertising employee, alleges that Apple mandates the installation of software on employees’ personal devices. This software reportedly grants the company access to private data, including emails, photographs, health information, and smart home devices.
The lawsuit further claims that Apple enforces stringent confidentiality policies, prohibiting employees from discussing workplace conditions, including grievances, with the media or colleagues. Such measures, the complaint asserts, hinder lawful whistleblowing activities.
Amar Bhakta, who has been employed at Apple since 2020, alleges that the company imposes severe restrictions on discussions about workplace matters. He was prohibited from speaking about his job on podcasts and was instructed to remove work-related details from his LinkedIn profile.
The complaint argues that Apple’s policies “stifle and unlawfully constrain employees” in their ability to share information, engage in competition, and move freely within the labor market.
In an official statement, Apple denied the allegations, stating that employees undergo annual training on their rights, including the right to discuss working conditions.
Previously, attorneys representing Amar Bhakta filed another lawsuit accusing Apple of systematically underpaying female employees in engineering, marketing, and AppleCare roles. Additionally, the company has faced complaints with the U.S. National Labor Relations Board over alleged restrictions on employee rights to discuss discrimination, wages, and the use of corporate messaging tools.
This latest lawsuit has been filed under a California law that allows employees to bring claims on behalf of the state, with potential awards granting up to 35% of recovered penalties to the plaintiffs. Apple continues to deny any wrongdoing.
