Dec 14, 2021 - Technology

Labor Department digs into complaint against Apple

Ina Fried

The Apple Park campus stands in this aerial photograph taken above Cupertino, California, U.S., on Wednesday, Oct. 23, 2019. — The Apple Park campus stands in this aerial photograph taken above Cupertino, Calif., in 2019. Photo: Sam Hall/Bloomberg via Getty Images

The Labor Department is investigating a complaint by former Apple employee Ashley Gjøvik that the company illegally retaliated against her after she reported workplace safety issues to federal authorities.

Why it matters: The move comes as Apple, like other large tech firms, is facing inquiries from a wide array of local and national regulators.

In a Dec. 10 letter, seen by Axios, the Labor Department told Gjøvik that it has received her complaint and sent Apple a request for its position on the matter.

The big picture: Gjøvik has filed complaints against Apple, with multiple government agencies alleging Apple has violated a range of laws covering worker rights and environmental conditions, among other issues.

What they're saying: Gjøvik told Axios that she filed the complaint with the Labor Department "to ensure Apple knows they are not above the law."

"I also want all other companies to see that if even Apple is held accountable, so will they," she said. "The normalization of Big Tech legal exceptionalism must end."

Apple pointed to its prior statement on her complaints, in which it said it is "deeply committed to creating and maintaining a positive and inclusive workplace."

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Labor Department digs into complaint against Apple

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