The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) has filed a new lawsuit against tech giant Apple, accusing the company of religious discrimination and retaliation at one of its Virginia retail stores.
The complaint, filed on September 30 in federal court in Alexandria, Virginia, alleges that a store manager at Apple’s Reston, Virginia, outlet discriminated against employee Tyler Steele, a Jewish worker, by making inappropriate remarks, claiming he “had body odor,” denying his request for religious scheduling accommodation, and ultimately requiring him to work during the Jewish Sabbath. Steele was later fired.
According to CNN, the civil rights lawsuit asserts that Apple violated Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. The EEOC is seeking back pay, damages, and punitive compensation for what it described as Apple’s “malice and reckless conduct.” Apple has not yet publicly commented on the case.
Court filings state that Steele began working at the Reston store in 2007 as an “Apple Genius,” providing customer consultation and technical support. In 2023, after converting to Judaism, he requested not to be scheduled on Fridays and Saturdays in observance of the Jewish Sabbath, which lasts from sundown Friday to sundown Saturday. However, the newly appointed store manager allegedly refused the request, instructed him not to discuss the October 2023 Hamas attacks on Israel with colleagues, and continued scheduling him during Sabbath hours.
The EEOC said Steele twice complained internally, but the behavior persisted. In January 2024, just days after refusing a Friday shift, he was terminated.
The agency noted that it routinely sues employers over discrimination based on protected traits such as gender, race, disability, and pregnancy. Under Acting Chair Andrea Lucas, the EEOC has increasingly scrutinized cases of religious discrimination. Lucas previously criticized what she described as religious protections being sidelined by “woke policies” under President Joe Biden’s administration.
The lawsuit outlines a clear timeline: Steele had a long tenure at the same store since 2007, his conversion in 2023 led to scheduling conflicts, and his dismissal followed in January 2024. The EEOC contends that Apple’s actions amounted to both religious discrimination and retaliation for his complaints. The suit seeks back pay, compensatory damages, and punitive damages, though the filing did not specify an exact amount.
