A leader of an activist movement within Apple said he was fired by the company on Thursday.
Jenke Parish, a program manager for Apple Maps based in Austin, Texas, and one of two leaders of a group that called themselves #AppleToo, were on suspension for several days while Apple investigated their activities. Had it. On Thursday, she said, an Apple attorney and a human resources worker told her over a phone call that she was being fired.
The reason, Ms Parrish said, was that she was told she had removed the files from her company’s computers and phones before handing them over for investigation. It said it had removed files containing personal and financial information.
Ms Parrish, 30, said she believed Apple was retaliating against her for helping organize the activist group. In recent months, Apple employees have spoken unapologetically—and said the company’s culture of privacy—is to prevent product leaks. – Pervasive other aspects of the company and discouraged workers from coming forward about issues such as sexual harassment and pay inequality.
“I knew from the moment I started speaking up that this was a risk, and a significant one,” Ms Parish said. “If firing me helps bring justice to those who are demanding it, that is a sacrifice I am happy to make,” he said. Ms. Parrish’s firing was previously reported by The Verge.
Apple did not directly address Mr. Parrish’s situation with the company. “We are always committed to creating and maintaining a positive and inclusive workplace,” Apple spokesman Josh Rosenstock said in a statement. “We take all concerns seriously and we conduct a thorough investigation whenever a concern is raised and, out of respect for the privacy of anyone involved, we do not discuss specific employee matters.”
An email notifying its termination, seen by The New York Times, said that Apple “determined that you engaged in conduct in violation of Apple policies, but by deleting files on your company-provided devices.” but is not limited to interfering in an investigation, specifically after being directed not to do so.”
Ms Parrish said she had removed innocuous screenshots of things like programming bugs before handing over her computer desktop. She said she also removed the Robinhood stock trading app because she didn’t want Apple to see “how much money I lost by investing in Gamestop” and the Pokemon Go gaming app because “I feel a little embarrassed that I didn’t buy Pokemon Go.” played.”
She said she was investigated because company executives thought she had leaked recordings of Apple staff meetings to the media, which she said she did not do.
Ms Parish was also publishing a weekly digest of accounts of workplace problems, shared with her anonymously by Apple employees. She said she’s received hundreds of stories over the past few months, though she couldn’t confirm that everyone who submitted the story was an Apple employee.
After being fired, Ms Parish said, she would not end her activism. “I don’t intend to stop until justice is done,” she said.
