National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) officials said Monday that a complaint Apple violated laws related to employee rights has merit, according to Bloomberg.

The NLRB oversees labor disputes and complaints in the U.S. After a complaint over unfair labor practices is filed, it is investigated by area attorneys and examiners. If they find "probable merit," then the company can either settle the issue, or it will receive a formal complaint from an NLRB regional director.

Now that NLRB officials have found merit, Apple will receive a complaint, an NLRB spokesperson told Bloomberg.

It's not the company's first tussle with the board of late: The NLRB found merit in complaints related to the company's anti-unionization efforts in Atlanta in December, per Quartz.

This particular case originates with Ashley Gjøvik and another former employee and their right to speak out publicly about workplace issues.

Gjøvik started at Apple in software engineering in 2015, according to her website. She is now outspoken about issues she had with the company and has filed complaints with the NLRB and other government agencies.

As part of this complaint, she gave the NLRB company files, per TechCrunch. These included an email from CEO Tim Cook that issued a harsh warning about speaking to the media after a reporter tweeted a detailed summary of an Apple meeting.

"I want to reassure you that we are doing everything in our power to identify those who leaked. As you know, we do not tolerate...

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