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Apple “permits” staff to complain about workplace harassment and discrimination

by on12 December 2022


Lucky them

Apple will no longer bar employees from speaking out about workplace harassment and discrimination issues.

The company had been using non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) to stop staff complaining about their working conditions, but this was subject to an independent review in March.

Apple shareholders voted to approve the independent review in March after the company failed to make the suggested changes to its concealment clauses last year.

Despite using the clause for so long, Apple seemed to be doing its best to spin how wonderful it was for getting rid of it. In a note titled, “Our Commitment to an Open and Collaborative Workplace,” Apple said “employees have the right to speak freely about their workplace conditions, including harassment and discrimination.”

It adds that an independent reviewer only found provisions that could “be interpreted as restricting a person’s ability to speak about such conduct” in “limited instances” and that Apple has “committed to not enforce those restrictions and to make improvements and clarifications going forward.”

Some of Apple’s changes might be due to legal changes in California. Language from California’s Silenced No More Act in separation agreements has been rolled out across the US.

Apple’s use of concealment clauses drew scrutiny after Cher Scarlett, an #AppleToo organiser and former Apple engineer, left the company and accused it of engaging “in coercive and suppressive activity that has enabled abuse and harassment of organisers of protected concerted activity.”

Scarlett claimed that Apple prevented her from talking in detail about her departure from the company as part of a separation agreement. Months later, a group of treasurers called on the Securities and Exchange Commission to investigate whether Apple uses its NDAs to silence workers.

 

Last modified on 12 December 2022
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