Apple accused of underpaying female employees in new lawsuit

Two female Apple employees have filed a lawsuit against the tech giant, alleging that it pays women less than men for the same work.

In a California court, the women are proposing a class-action suit to represent more than 12,000 current and former female employees across Apple’s engineering, marketing and AppleCare divisions. The suit alleges that Apple “systematically” paid women lower wages over a four-year period due to a policy that set their salaries based on their previous employment, according to The Wall Street Journal. 

While the state of California made it illegal in 2018 for employers to ask job candidates about their prior pay, Apple would instead ask about pay expectations, the lawsuit says. The tech giant would then reportedly set starting salaries at lower rates based on these pay expectations.

The lawsuit also alleges that “Apple’s performance evaluation system is biased against women because for scored categories such as teamwork and leadership, men are rewarded and women are penalized for the same behaviors.”

The lawsuit calls for class members to be compensated for the loss of fair wages, as well as declaratory and injunctive relief. Apple has not yet publicly responded to the suit.

Via: Engadget