Apple Pays $150,000 to Settle EEOC Antisemitism Lawsuit

Apple Inc. agreed to pay $150,000 to resolve a federal lawsuit filed by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) alleging antisemitic discrimination and retaliation. The settlement, which is awaiting court approval, provides former employee Tyler Steele with $80,000 in back pay and $70,000 in compensatory damages and interest.

The case centered on Steele, a longtime employee at an Apple store in Reston, Virginia, who converted to Judaism in 2023. The EEOC alleged that store manager Anthony Dosch denied Steele's requests for time off to observe the Jewish Sabbath, used antisemitic language, and made derogatory comments about Steele's body odor. The complaint further stated that Dosch forbade Steele from discussing the October 2023 Hamas attack on Israel with colleagues. Steele was terminated in January 2024 after refusing to work on a Friday.

While Apple denied any wrongdoing in its court filings, the company must now update its religious accommodation policies and conduct employee training within its Virginia operations within 90 days. The legal action was brought under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.