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The National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) has dropped several allegations against Apple stemming from employee complaints filed in 2021, including one that accused CEO Tim Cook of violating workers' rights after he warned staff about leaking confidential information.
What the NLRB has withdrawn
The agency has withdrawn "many of the claims" it previously brought against Apple, according to Bloomberg. Notably, the NLRB abandoned its allegation that Cook's all-staff email — which stated that "people who leak confidential information do not belong" at the company and warned Apple was "doing everything in [its] power to identify those who leaked" — unlawfully interfered with employees' rights.
That internal message followed leaks from a company meeting where management addressed employee questions about pay equity and Texas' anti-abortion law. The board has also withdrawn earlier assertions that Apple unlawfully disciplined or fired certain activists and that the company unlawfully imposed confidentiality rules or created an atmosphere of surveillance.
Claims tied to individual employees
Some allegations in complaints filed by former employee Ashley Gjøvik were set aside, including claims that Apple told staff not to disclose internal communications and that Gjøvik was suspended in retaliation or fired unlawfully. However, the NLRB did not withdraw every charge related to that case.
Earlier this year, Apple settled a separate dispute with Gjøvik. The settlement required Apple to clarify employee policies so staff understand they can discuss pay, working conditions and union organizing without retaliation, and that they may speak to the press — among other revisions Gjøvik described as a win for workers.
What remains unsettled and recent corrections
Not all complaints tied to the broader 2021 dispute have been dismissed. A correction issued by reporting outlets noted that charges filed by Cher Scarlett — concerning pay equity, suppression of wage discussions and constructive discharge — were not withdrawn or dismissed by the NLRB.
Bloomberg also flagged this decision as part of a broader trend of the labor board taking a more employer-friendly posture under the current administration. The NLRB has not provided a full public explanation for the withdrawals; outlets say requests for comment were made.
Conclusion
The NLRB's recent narrowing of claims against Apple reduces the legal exposure tied to the 2021 internal leaks and certain disciplinary actions, but it leaves several employee-led accusations and prior settlements intact. The episode underscores ongoing tensions between tech employers and workers over confidentiality, organizing and how companies handle internal communications.
Source: engadget
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