The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission in September sued Apple, claiming the manager of one of its Virginia retail stores made antisemitic comments and forced a Jewish employee to work on the sabbath.
According to the federal lawsuit filed in Alexandria, Virginia, the manager of the Reston store also warned the 16-year-old working at the Genius Bar providing technical support to customers not to discuss the Oct. 7 attacks in Israel with his coworkers.
The teenager said he complained to Apple twice but was fired in January 2024 after refusing to work on a Friday.
Apple denied the teenager's allegations and told USA TODAY it fosters “an inclusive environment where everyone is welcome.” The company also said it received a dozen complaints about the employee from customers and coworkers.
The lawsuit is the latest in a groundswell of complaints alleging faith-based discrimination and antisemitism amid a major push by the Trump administration to increase religious freedom in the workplace.
Appealing to conservative Christian voters during his campaign, President Donald Trump framed his 2024 bid as a fight for faith. Early in his administration, he pledged his administration would “protect the Judeo-Christian values of our founding.”
In July, the Office of Personnel Management outlined the rights of federal employees to engage in religious expression, such as praying at work or displaying religious items or encouraging coworkers to share their faith, and directed federal...
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