One of the goals of #AppleToo is to ensure that all those who have not had a voice, all those who sought help and found none, get a voice. Each of the stories included in this digest was submitted by a current or former Apple employee. These stories represent a systemic issue and the need to do better.
It is our hope that in sharing these stories, we can bring some resolution. We are honoured to share these stories, and by the trust that each story represents. As Cher put it, even one story is too many. Each story is a person who suffered, and in many cases, continued to suffer in a hostile environment.
We are publishing these stories in batches of five because the emotional weight of them is substantial. They represent five parts of the larger story of systemic issues that must be addressed.
Retaliation and discrimination
While my manager was on leave of absence my acting manager requested for me to help him with many projects and reports, we made amazing progress together and that lead to my Area Manager feeling threatened and making up a “complaint to HR” against me. They used conversations in chat about my pets as if I was making mysoginistic remarks and portraying me as a womanizer, when I confronted her with the screenshoots of the conversations she stated I was being unprofessional and my nationality was part of the issue. She told me that because of that “formal complaint” I was not going to be able to apply for a different position and that my options were to stay stuck in that department or leave Apple.
I was depressed to the point I didn’t want to live but my psychologist made me contact HR, when I told my manager who was back from his leave he encouraged me not to speak to HR, implying that consequences where going to be worse. They wanted me to stop doing all of my projects, to be quiet, my manager even offered to review and monitor my interactions in chat just in case I was being too much myself. But I did meet with HR, they informed me that there was nothing in my personnel file and that no complaint was escalated to them.
I have been threatened, gaslighted, they made me feel inadequate and my only request was to be transferred out of that department and they can’t make it happen. They even came back to me with “it was all a misunderstanding”. I have no future in a company that I had loved my entire life. It doesn’t matter how hard you work nothing is enough. It has been 4 months and I didn’t even get an apology, because it was all my fault even though they were the ones who lied and mistreated me.
Unsafe working environment
CW: This story contains disclosure of sexual harassment and assault
While working at Apple, I have so far been sexually harassed consistently with no consequences, and sexually assaulted twice by coworkers. I reported one and was told that nothing could be done about it, and am forced to see him every day. Nobody has cared about how this affects me. But they worry about me « gossiping » about it.
Death threats and harassment
CW: This story contains disclosure of abuse.
When I was 22 working in Apple Retail, I was dating a coworker who was 20 years my senior. The relationship was emotionally, physically, and sexually abusive. When I informed leaders of my fear for this person, they said there was little they could do, and to simply stay away from him.
A few weeks later, he attacked me with death threats and had an intention to hurt me. I was able to get away from him and immediately contacted police and filed for an order for protection. I told leaders immediately and opened an HR case.
In the end, they informed me nothing could be done to him as it did not happen at work. He was allowed to stay employed and continue to work with young women after nearly ending my life. Worse yet, I was told I wasn’t allowed to talk about the incident or speak badly of him to other employees.
This is the most traumatic thing I have ever experienced. I felt as though no one believed me or cared, and that his life and his career was more important than my own.
Dangerous conditions and no opportunities
Working in Channel Retail has always been a challenge. A great many of us feel like the step children of Apple, constantly on the tail end of information, pay and opportunities to advance. I’ve been in my role 5 years and not a single position above me has even opened in channel within my state. When discussing this with my manager the answer is always the same “go to Apple retail, they have tons of opportunities to be promoted.” This doesn’t seems like a great way to retain/develop talent.
Working in Channel requires us to wear the hats of every Apple employee within an Apple retail store. We are sales people, tech support, merchandisers, trainers, customer support; you name it and we do it. Yet, we typically see 2–3% raises each year (even when exceeding sales metrics), which barely keeps up with inflation.
Our role is also part commission, yet we are paid roughly .003 cents for every dollar we help generate. Considering Apple’s last quarter had revenue over 80 BILLION dollars, why are we only making three tenths of one penny for every dollar sold. Considering our average margin on products, Apple can do so much more to increase pay and make everyone’s lives more comfortable.
Also consider the amount of money Apple has spent in Stock Buy Backs over the years. A recent CNBC article states Apple has spent near 450 billion dollars on stock buy backs since 2012. Imagine if they had only spent half of that money and instead gave it to their employees. That’s roughly $1.6 Million Dollars for every one of the 133k employees. Stock buybacks do nothing but benefit the ultra wealthy, furthering the divide between rich and poor that has exploded over recent years.
A personal story now, the environment I work in consistently exceeds 90 degrees during the summer despite being an air conditioned environment. I’ve kept a thermometer in my working area this summer, and have already recorded days of 90+ degrees, even when the temper outside is LOWER. Imagine working in a sales environment trying to assist customers and you are dripping in sweat. This is not only unhealthy for myself, but our customers as well.
After recording this data, showing the differences between the outside temp vs my work space (usually a 10–15 degree difference, outside might be 80 but in my area it is 90), taking pictures in the moment to show my direct manager…his responses have ranged from “that makes a good detox environment” to “I need someone at a location that would add 45 minutes to your commute,” have been the answer. It laymen’s terms, I hear “suck it up.” Heat stroke is a real thing, I also suffer from hyper Hyperhidrosis (excessive sweating), leaving work each day with wet clothes because of the heat. I’ve had to use sick/vacation time on days where the temp exceeds 90 because I physically and mentally cannot take it. Yet nothing is ever changed or improved. I can’t even take a reasonable vacation because I am having to burn my vacation days due to the excessive heat.
No recourse, no response
I was abruptly fired from Apple after a group of three female colleagues wrongfully claimed harassment against me. They had made sexual advances towards me but I was upfront that having a relationship wasn’t something I was interested in. I was brought into the managers office with my store leader after a vacation to take a call with Human Resources. My world froze when the HR representative told me I was being removed from the store as the investigation took place. I couldn’t hear anything. I couldn’t think. I couldn’t move my body. I cared so much for my job and the safety of my team that I was numb to the fact that I was being investigated. I couldn’t bring myself to respond to the HR representative and was told I would be contacted after a few days to collect myself and provide some clarity to the claims filed against me.
The scheduled call never came. The number I was given rang out with a dial tone every time I called it. I tried for two weeks straight to be able to speak my case. After my calls went unanswered, I filed an appeal with the screenshots of text messages showing that I had maintained basic workplace appropriate friendships with these women after I had told them I was not interested in any romantic relationships.
From the moment I was fired, I felt as though my store leader had been looking for any reason to fire me because of my race. I thought that by working at Apple, I would finally be seen for the quality of work I could perform rather than how I looked performing the work. I was devastated for a long time thinking about all the times I had overlooked the bullying I had faced from leaders and upper management during my time for fear of reprisal. I had been shamed into submission for my work conditions and in the end, I was wrongly burdened with the blame of someone else’s embarrassment.
