(Reuters) – Apple has been accused in a new lawsuit of illegally monitoring its employees’ personal devices and iCloud accounts and preventing them from discussing their pay and working conditions.
The complaint filed in state court in California on Sunday by Amar Bhakta, who works in digital advertising for Apple, alleges that the company requires employees to install software on the personal devices they use for work, allowing them access to their email, photos, health data and other personal information.
At the same time, the suit alleges, Apple imposes confidentiality policies that prohibit employees from discussing working conditions, including with the press, and from engaging in legally protected whistleblowing.
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Bhakta, who has worked for Apple since 2020, says he was blocked from talking about his work on podcasts and told to remove information about his working conditions from his LinkedIn profile.
“Apple’s surveillance policies and practices inhibit and therefore also unlawfully restrict employee reporting, competition, employee freedom of movement in the workforce, and freedom of expression,” the lawsuit says.
In a statement provided by a spokesperson, Apple said the lawsuit’s allegations are without merit and that its employees are trained annually on their rights to discuss their working conditions.
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“At Apple, we’re focused on creating the world’s best products and services, and we work to protect the inventions our teams create for customers,” the company said.
The new lawsuit was filed under a unique California law that allows workers to sue their employers on behalf of the state and keep 35% of any penalties recovered.
