In a breaking development, two female employees at Apple have taken legal action against the company, alleging gender-based pay disparities in the workplace. The employees are seeking to represent over 12,000 current and former female employees in various divisions such as engineering, marketing, and AppleCare.
This incident is not isolated, as other major tech companies have faced similar legal challenges. In 2018, Google settled a class action gender discrimination lawsuit for $118 million, while Oracle settled a similar lawsuit for $25 million. Both companies denied any wrongdoing.
The focus of the lawsuit against Apple is on the company’s hiring practices and performance evaluations, which the women claim have led to a wage gap between men and women. California laws prohibit employers from inquiring about job candidates’ prior pay, but instead, ask about pay expectations. The lawsuit alleges that Apple used this information to set starting salaries lower for women compared to men in similar roles.
One of the plaintiffs, Justina Jong, revealed that she discovered a male colleague was being paid almost $10,000 more for similar work. This disparity left her feeling terrible. The lawsuit also contends that Jong was subjected to a hostile work environment next to a co-worker who sexually harassed her.
The other plaintiff, Amina Salgado, has worked in various roles at Apple since 2012. Despite complaining to the company multiple times about the wage gap, it took a third-party investigation for Apple to acknowledge the pay disparity. Although Salgado’s compensation was increased, the lawsuit alleges that she was not properly compensated for the years she was paid less than male counterparts.
The lawsuit seeks compensation for the loss of fair wages, as well as declaratory and injunctive relief for the class members. Apple has yet to respond to requests for comment on the matter. This ongoing legal battle sheds light on the persistent issues of gender discrimination and unequal pay in the tech industry.
