It’s not Apple’s first layoff scandal: The company is said to have fired an employee after it flagged complaints. It belongs to the “#AppleToo” movement.
employee in An applewho also called on other employees to publicly participate in incidents of discrimination and harassment in the company. Janneke Parrish said the company left her because it deleted data from her work equipment during an internal investigation. The internal investigation related to the dissemination of information from the business meeting to the media. Parish denied the claim to Reuters. Parrish said she believed she was fired because of her work activity.
“To me, this is clearly revenge for speaking out about abuse at my employer, as well as equal pay and working conditions in general,” she said. Apple said the company does not comment on specific employee issues.
Parrish is the leader of #AppleToo
Parrish is believed to be one of the leaders of #AppleToo, an employee movement organized in response to alleged patterns of discrimination, racism, and sexism within the company. The name is clearly a reference to the #MeToo controversy that erupted in the wake of the abuse scandal surrounding film producer Harvey Weinstein.
US technology portal The Verge reports that some Apple employees should view Parrish’s dismissal as a result of their activism. “I was so loud, I was so public. I wasn’t afraid to associate my name and face with #AppleToo,” Parrish told The British Guardian. The former employee wrote on Twitter: “There are consequences if you talk about what’s on your mind. There are consequences if you do the right thing. (…) #AppleToo is about Apple demanding better work, systemic discrimination to end abuse and pay inequality.”
Parrish’s resignation came just days after Ashley Jovik, a former Apple employee who was fired last month for allegedly disclosing information, filed a complaint against the company with the National Labor Authority (NLRB), according to the Guardian. Jovik, who has reported allegations of harassment while working at Apple, claimed that the company’s employee rules and CEO Tim Cook’s promises to take action against whistleblowers were against US law.
“Outreach is seen as an essential traitor”
In September, according to the report, Parrish said the company had informed her that it was being investigated for leaking information to the media. She said Parrish has campaigned for Apple employees for months but has not shared any information.
As part of the investigation, Apple confiscated their devices. Parrish said the company encourages employees to use work tools rather than personal tools. Before the devices were handed over, I deleted files that contained personal information, such as bank details. According to the Guardian, Parrish did not expect to be fired – but apparently assumed that her work for #AppleToo would have a negative impact on her career.
“We have a culture of secrecy and loyalty to the company. Going public is seen as fundamental betrayal,” she said in the report. “I knew from the moment I spoke that my Apple career was going to be somewhat over.”
According to the movement, more than 500 complaints
In August, a group of employees, including Parrish, began a #AppleToo campaign to collect and share current and former employees’ experiences of injustice, intimidation and abuse, Guardin reported. The initiative was launched after employees attempted to discuss their grievances internally with management, according to the organizers.
#AppleToo claims to have collected reports from more than 500 workers who said they experienced discrimination and sexual harassment at work – allegations they reported to management but which were not addressed.