The recent lawsuit filed by two long-time Apple employees has shed light on the alleged systematic gender pay gap within the tech giant. Justina Jong, a training instructor, discovered that she was being paid almost $10,000 less than a male colleague who held the same position as her. This revelation was found on a W-2 tax form left on an office printer in the Sunnyvale Apple office where she worked. Despite the tremendous value of Apple in the stock market, with a valuation of $3.3 trillion, the company has not yet responded to requests for comments regarding the allegations of underpayment.
Jong, along with Amina Salgado, an AppleCare manager, filed a lawsuit in San Francisco County Superior Court against Apple, claiming that more than 12,000 women across various departments were underpaid in comparison to their male counterparts. The legal action points out that Apple systematically paid women less than men, even when they had similar education and experience levels. The lawsuit seeks class-action status and aims at awarding back pay, with 10% interest, to the thousands of current and former female employees who may have been impacted by Apple’s discriminatory pay practices over the past four years.
Comparison with Google’s Case
This lawsuit against Apple brings back the focus on the prevalent issue of gender discrimination in the male-dominated technology industry of Silicon Valley. By referencing Google’s $118 million settlement in a class-action lawsuit, it is evident that the problem of gender pay disparity is not unique to Apple. Google faced accusations of slotting female employees into lower salary levels, offering them lower-paying jobs, and promoting them more slowly than their male counterparts. The lawsuit against Apple also highlights similar patterns within the company.
One concerning aspect mentioned in this lawsuit is how Apple used to ask potential hires about their previous pay, leading to the perpetuation of lower starting salaries for women compared to men. This practice was deemed discriminatory and contributed to the widening pay gap over time. The introduction of a California law in 2018, which banned employers from inquiring about job applicants’ salary history, aimed to address this issue. However, the lawsuit claims that Apple adapted by asking about salary expectations instead, which could still result in paying women less than men for similar roles.
The Impact on Female Employees
The lawsuit argues that women at Apple face not only lower base salaries but also miss out on opportunities for raises and premium pay based on perceived talent. The assertion that more men are identified as having talent further exacerbates the situation, leading to a continuous cycle of gender pay disparity. Despite legal requirements for companies like Apple to maintain records of wage rates and job classifications, the lawsuit claims that the tech giant failed to take corrective action to address the underpayment of women employees.
The lawsuit against Apple serves as a stark reminder of the persistent gender pay gap issues prevalent in the tech industry, particularly in Silicon Valley. The allegations of systematic underpayment and discrimination against women based on their gender raise concerns about the need for companies to ensure pay equity and fair treatment for all employees. It remains to be seen how Apple will respond to these accusations and what measures they will take to rectify the situation and promote gender equality within the organization.
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