Apple Pays $150,000 Settlement to Jewish Employee Fired Over Sabbath Observance

Apple has agreed to pay $150,000 in a settlement with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) following a lawsuit alleging religious discrimination and wrongful termination of a Jewish employee who requested Sabbath accommodations. Tyler Steel, a technician at an Apple store in Virginia, was employed for several years with positive reviews. After converting to Judaism in 2023, he requested not to work Friday evenings and Saturdays to observe the Sabbath. His manager refused the request and insisted he work weekend shifts. When Steel continued to refuse working on the Sabbath, he faced escalating disciplinary actions and was ultimately fired in January 2024.

The EEOC filed a lawsuit against Apple for violating civil rights laws that require employers to provide reasonable accommodations for employees' religious beliefs unless it causes undue hardship. Under the August 2026 settlement, Apple will pay $80,000 in back pay and $70,000 in damages. Although Apple denied wrongdoing or discrimination, it agreed to the settlement to end the legal process. Additionally, Apple will conduct comprehensive training on religious rights and discrimination for store managers in the region and must report any similar complaints to the EEOC for two years.

This case has drawn significant attention within the American Jewish community and sets an important precedent for protecting religious workers' rights in the workplace. It joins a series of recent lawsuits against major U.S. employers emphasizing the need to uphold religious accommodations at work.