Apple agrees to pay $150,000 to settle discrimination lawsuit over employee's Shabbat observance

Apple has agreed to a $150,000 settlement to resolve a federal lawsuit accusing the company of religious discrimination and retaliation against a Jewish employee who observed Shabbat. The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) filed the suit in September 2025 on behalf of Tyler Steele, a former employee at an Apple store in Reston, Virginia.

Steele, who converted to Judaism in 2023, initially had his request to not be scheduled on Fridays and Saturdays for religious observance approved by his manager. However, a subsequent manager, Anthony Dosch, rescinded the accommodation. According to the lawsuit, Dosch denied Steele's requests and allegedly told him he was being a "rules Nazi" regarding company policies. Dosch also reportedly warned Steele against engaging in political discussions about the Israel-Hamas conflict at work.

Following these issues, Steele complained to Apple officials in November 2023 about antisemitic behavior and the denial of his religious accommodation. Despite his complaints, Steele was terminated from his position in January 2024. The lawsuit alleged that Apple violated Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 by discriminating against Steele based on his religion and retaliating against him for raising concerns.

The settlement, unveiled in a federal court filing on August 7, awaits court approval. Apple has denied the allegations and admitted no wrongdoing as part of the agreement. The settlement mandates that Apple pay Steele $80,000 in back pay and $70,000 in compensatory damages and interest. Additionally, the company must update its religious accommodation policies and conduct training for some employees within its Virginia operations within 90 days.

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Employees should not have to violate their religious beliefs to keep their jobs or live in fear of retribution because they requested an accommodation.