Apple to pay $ 30 million to store staff who were forced to go through baggage checks while completing work
2 months ago Harry J. Jacobs
Apple agrees to pay California store staff $ 30 million who were forced to go through baggage checks while completing work
Apple agreed to pay $ 29.9 million to store employees in California due to the tech giant forcing its employees to go through bag security checks, even off the clock
The move comes following an eight-year legal battle, when a group of Apple employees sued their employer in 2013
They had argued that the company was violating California state law by not paying them for time spent undergoing security checks.
Employees were also required to have their Apple products inspected and tested during searches.
The lawsuit specifically covers employees who work at the 52 Apple stores in California
Lawyers said in court filing 14,683 workers will receive $ 1,286 from settlement
By Matt Mcnulty For Dailymail.Com
Posted: 4:36 p.m. EST, November 13, 2021 | Update: 4:40 p.m. EST, November 13, 2021
Apple agreed to pay $ 29.9 million to store workers in California after the Supreme Court ruled Friday against the tech giant's policy of forcing its employees to submit to bag security checks, despite their absence.
The move comes following an eight-year legal battle, when a group of Apple employees sued their employer in 2013, claiming the company was violating California state law by not paying them. not for their time spent undergoing security checks, depending on court documents.
"This is an important and non-reversible settlement reached after nearly eight years of bitter litigation," plaintiffs lawyer Lee Shalov wrote in the proposed settlement.
"If approved, this will be the most important settlement reported in a California security search case," Shalov added ahead of Friday's decision.
The lawsuit specifically covers employees who work at the 52 Apple stores in California.
Apple agreed to pay $ 29.9 million to store employees in California due to the tech giant forcing its employees to go through bag security checks despite being off the clock
A group of Apple employees sued in 2013, where they argued the company was violating California state law by not paying them for time spent undergoing security checks (image file)
Lawyers said in the court file that 14,683 workers will receive $ 1,286 from the settlement, according to Bloomberg.
Apple had argued that searches of the bags were necessary to ensure that workers were not stealing electronics from their California stores and that it was not monitoring its employees during the searches.
The tech giant also argued in court that any employee who disagrees with the policy should not bring a bag with them to work.
However, the California Supreme Court disagreed with Apple's assessment of the policy while referring to a legal requirement of state wages law that employees must be paid for the duration of their control by the company.
Judges too criticized Apple for its seemingly inconsistent arguments about iPhones and other Apple products.
"The irony and inconsistency of Apple's argument should be noted. His characterization of the iPhone as useless to his own employees is in direct contradiction to his description of the iPhone as an "integral and integral" part of everyone's life, "the California Supreme Court judge wrote. , Tani Cantil-Sakauye.
Apple argued that searches of the bags were necessary to ensure that workers were not robbing their California stores and that it was not screening its employees during searches.
"Apple employees are clearly under Apple's control pending and during exit research. Apple controls its employees during this period in several ways, "Cantil-Sakauye added.
The lawsuit has had quite a history in the eight years since its initial filing.
In 2015, a judge granted Apple's request to dismiss the lawsuit.
However, in February 2020, the case was sent back after the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that the company was obligated to compensate employees for time spent having their luggage checked.
The company wrote in the settlement agreement that it ended the baggage screening policy in December 2015.
Apple did not immediately return a request for comment on the settlement.
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