Apple Settles Religious Discrimination Suit Over Jewish Employee's Sabbath Observance

Apple has agreed to pay $150,000 to settle a lawsuit filed by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) alleging religious discrimination against a Jewish employee at an Apple store in Reston, Virginia. Tyler Steel, who began working as an Apple Genius in 2007 and converted to Judaism in 2023, claimed that after a new manager took over that year, he was pressured to work on Fridays and Saturdays, violating his religious observance. The manager reportedly told Steel he smelled bad, forced him to work on the Sabbath, and warned him not to discuss the Hamas attack on October 7 with coworkers. Steel was terminated in January 2024, shortly after refusing to work on a Friday as requested by the manager. The EEOC accused Apple of religious discrimination and retaliation in violation of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, seeking lost wages and additional damages for Steel. The $150,000 settlement was filed last weekend in federal court in Alexandria, Virginia, as part of a joint motion by both parties. Apple denied the allegations in court filings.