Despite reaching a settlement with Apple in November, the terms of which included Scarlett withdrawing her complaint against the company with the National Labor Relations Board, Scarlett claims Apple did not meet its end of the bargain.
Former Apple engineer Cher Scarlett is no longer withdrawing her complaint with the National Labor Relations Board, which alleged that the tech giant retaliated against employees who discussed pay, hours or working conditions.
Scarlett, who led a pay equity and transparency effort within the company and helped spearhead the employee-activist group #AppleToo, quit in November after reaching a “private settlement” with the company. As part of the resolution, Scarlett agreed to withdraw her September complaint and would receive a one-year severance package. Apple, in turn, agreed to publicly acknowledge employees’ rights to discuss their salaries.
The settlement language “was suppressive of my rights to help other employees organize, help them file charges if they’ve been wronged or witnessed unlawful activity,” Scarlett says. Given that Scarlett is no longer withdrawing the charge, Apple likely will no longer pay her severance in full. So far, the company had paid less than half of a year’s worth of severance.
Scarlett is one of hundreds of young tech workers who are becoming increasingly activist and vocal about their companies’ stances on a variety of issues, from hiring and diversity to policy and social justice.