Apple CEO Labor Board Allegation Dropped
- The National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) has withdrawn "many of the claims" it made against Apple in relation to cases brought in 2021 by former employees, according to...
- Cook's email also stated that Apple was "doing everything in [its] power to identify those who leaked" information from an internal meeting the previous week.This meeting addressed workers'...
- The withdrawn claims include those made in complaints by former employee Ashley Gjøvik.
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NLRB Partially Withdraws Claims Against Apple in 2021 Labor Dispute
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What Happened: The Initial Allegations
The National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) has withdrawn ”many of the claims” it made against Apple in relation to cases brought in 2021 by former employees, according to Bloomberg. Specifically,the NLRB dismissed an allegation that apple CEO Tim Cook violated workers’ rights when he sent an all-staff email in 2021 stating “people who leak confidential information do not belong” in the company.
Cook’s email also stated that Apple was “doing everything in [its] power to identify those who leaked” information from an internal meeting the previous week.This meeting addressed workers’ questions about pay equity and Texas’ anti-abortion law. Apple’s stance was that it didn’t “tolerate disclosures of confidential information, whether it’s product IP or the details of a confidential meeting,” as Cook wrote at the time.
The Case of Ashley Gjøvik
The withdrawn claims include those made in complaints by former employee Ashley Gjøvik. The NLRB dropped allegations that Apple told employees not to disclose company communications, and that it had suspended Gjøvik in retaliation and fired her unlawfully. Though, not all allegations have been withdrawn.
Apple settled a separate case with Gjøvik back in April 2025.
Why This Matters: Employee Rights vs. Company Confidentiality
This case underscores the delicate balance between an employer’s right to protect confidential information and employees’ rights to discuss working conditions, including concerns about pay and social issues. The NLRB’s initial complaint centered on the argument that Cook’s email could be interpreted as a threat to employees exercising their rights under the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA),which protects employees’ rights to engage in concerted activities for mutual aid or protection.
The NLRA specifically protects employees’ rights to discuss wages, working conditions, and other terms of employment. A broad prohibition on disclosing *any* company information, even if it relates to these protected topics, can be considered an unfair labor practice.
Legal Background: The National Labor relations Act
the NLRA, passed in 1935, is a foundational law in US labor relations. It grants employees the right to:
- Organise or