Apple is sued for underpaying 12,000 female employees

Two women in the US state of California have filed a class action lawsuit against Apple, accusing the tech giant of systematically underpaying female employees over the past four years, Gizmochina reports.

The lawsuit, which represents 12,000 current and former employees of the company, alleges that Apple's pay practices and their performance evaluation system discriminate against women.

The complaints stem from Apple's practice of setting female employees' starting salaries based on their previous pay history, a practice that ended in late 2017. The lawsuit alleges that this approach perpetuates the existing gender wage gap, as women in tech typically earn less than men.

Research has shown that employers tend to base their salary expectations on their current or previous salary, which can lead to women underestimating themselves during an interview.

The lawsuit also alleges that Apple's performance evaluation system is biased because subjective criteria such as "teamwork" and "leadership" are applied differently to men and women. According to the lawsuit, men are rewarded for behavior that women may be criticized for, further affecting their earning potential.

The plaintiffs are seeking financial compensation for damages suffered by the employees due to the alleged wage differential. They also want a court order requiring Apple to change its pay and performance evaluation practices to ensure fairness. The plaintiffs are also demanding that a jury participate in the trial.