She said she was one of three women managers in her group of about 300 workers and the highest ranking woman in the group overall, with 19 direct reports. Vartuli also told Insider that her segment at Apple, which was separated from the main campus because it worked on secretive projects, was made up almost entirely of men. She also claims to have lost out on stock with an estimated current value of $1.2 million. She also told Insider that her manager gave her a "very positive" performance review not long before her termination. It did not expand on the reason for her termination, according to documents filed alongside the complaint. In June 2019, Apple accused Vartuli of using her work laptop for personal interests and then fired her without severance on July 5, saying she violated Apple's business conduct and employee use policy. In emails with Insider, Vartuli said she complained of the pay gap to her manager in spring 2019 and was shortly after placed under investigation. Vartuli, who joined Apple in 2015, claims in her lawsuit to have discovered through disclosures of male peers that she was being paid half or less of what they were making in total compensation, mostly through how Apple applied its equity. In February, finance director Bernadette Alexander sued the company, alleging ageism and retaliation.Īpple did not respond to repeated requests for comment. Vartuli's lawsuit is not the only one filed this year by a former employee against the company. Last week, the company fired one of the organizers of that movement, Janneke Parrish it also fired program manager Ashley Gjovik this summer after she accused the company on social media of mishandling her claims of harassment and workplace safety issues. In the last few months, a movement among Apple employees, known as AppleToo, has seen Apple workers speaking out with claims of an often toxic work culture - a rarity at the famously secret company.
Vartuli's lawsuit is one of a series of recent accusations against the iPhone maker that it has built a culture of secrecy that penalizes employees who speak out about workplace harassment and discrimination. In a previously unreported lawsuit filed at the end of June against Apple in Santa Clara County, former high-level engineer Catherine Vartuli alleges being penalized, discriminated, and retaliated against after discovering and bringing to her manager that she was paid less than half that of her male peers.
Two former high-level Apple employees have filed separate lawsuits accusing the company of age and gender discrimination.