Two former high-level employees sue Apple for age, gender discrimination

Two former high-level Apple employees have filed separate lawsuits accusing the company of age and gender discrimination, reports Business Insider. ​Both women allege a culture at male-dominated Apple headquarters that allowed demeaning and retaliatory behavior to go unchecked.

Former high-level engineer Catherine Vartuli alleges being penalized, discriminated, and retaliated against after discovering and bringing to her manager that she was paid less than half that of her male peers. She claims to have discovered through disclosures of male peers that she was being paid half or less of what they were making in total compensation, mostly through how Apple applied its equity, according to Business Insider.

Finance director Bernadette Alexander has sued Apple, alleging ageism and retaliation. According Business Insider, her experience at the company took a turn in 2017 when she received a new manager who was vocal about his preference for “younger” workers. Alexander, who is 60, claims her manager told her to hire younger workers over older ones, even if they did not have appropriate levels of experience.