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U.S. Agency Sues Apple Over Alleged Religious Discrimination Against Jewish Employee

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The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) has filed a lawsuit against Apple, accusing the tech giant of religious discrimination and retaliation against a Jewish retail employee who was allegedly harassed, denied religious accommodations, and later fired.

According to the complaint filed Tuesday in federal court in Alexandria, Virginia, the manager of Apple’s Reston, Virginia store made antisemitic remarks toward employee Tyler Steele, forced him to work on the Jewish Sabbath, and warned him not to discuss the October 2023 Hamas attack on Israel with colleagues. The manager also allegedly told Steele that he “smelled like body odor.”

The EEOC says Steele, who began working for Apple in 2007 as an “Apple Genius,” converted to Judaism in 2023 and soon after requested to be excused from working from Friday sundown to Saturday sundown to observe the Sabbath. The new store manager denied these requests, the lawsuit states.

Steele reportedly complained twice to Apple’s management, but no action was taken. He was fired in January 2024, just days after again refusing to work on a Friday, according to the EEOC.

The lawsuit, filed under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, seeks back pay, compensatory and punitive damages, alleging Apple engaged in “malicious and reckless conduct.”

Apple did not respond to Reuters’ request for comment.

Under Acting Chair Andrea Lucas, a Trump-appointed conservative Christian, the EEOC has increased scrutiny of cases involving religious discrimination. In a statement last August, Lucas argued that during the Biden administration, “religious protections too often took a backseat to woke policies.”

The case adds to Apple’s growing list of legal challenges related to workplace treatment and corporate responsibility.

Qualcomm Unveils New PC Chip With Security Features for Businesses

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Qualcomm announced on Wednesday a new line of chips for PCs and smartphones, including the Snapdragon X2 Elite laptop chip, which introduces a security capability aimed squarely at the business market.

Best known for powering mobile phones, the San Diego-based company has been expanding into the PC sector, where it competes with Apple to deliver energy-efficient chips for Windows-based laptops and desktops.

The Snapdragon X2 Elite, set to ship next year, debuts Guardian, a feature designed for corporate IT departments. Guardian will let companies securely connect to machines remotely for updates or technical support—even if the device is powered off.

Intel, the longtime leader in corporate PCs, has offered similar fleet management features for years. But Qualcomm says its approach will be unique because it can integrate Guardian with its 5G modem chips, allowing corporate owners to manage and track devices virtually anywhere with cellular coverage.

“Nobody else can offer something like that,” said Ben Bajarin, CEO of technology consultancy Creative Strategies. “I can actually see that being attractive for a portion of the workforce and something that will get stronger interest in Qualcomm for enterprise fleets.”

The new chip represents Qualcomm’s latest push to gain traction in the PC market while positioning itself as a serious contender for enterprise customers.

Intel Seeks Investment from Apple Amid Turnaround Push, Report Says

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Intel has approached Apple about a potential investment, according to a Bloomberg News report on Wednesday citing people familiar with the matter. The discussions, which also cover ways to work more closely together, are still in the early stages and may not result in a deal. Intel shares closed up 6% following the news.

Intel declined to comment, while Apple has not responded to requests.

The report follows Nvidia’s $5 billion investment for roughly a 4% stake in Intel, announced earlier this week. That deal included plans for the companies to co-develop PC and data center chips, though Nvidia will not use Intel’s foundry business to manufacture its chips.

Intel CEO Lip-Bu Tan has been actively pursuing partnerships as part of efforts to revive the struggling chipmaker. Once a dominant force in the semiconductor industry, Intel has fallen behind in the AI boom to rivals like Nvidia and AMD.

Recent backing has boosted investor confidence: Intel secured a $10 billion government stake engineered by the White House, a $2 billion equity investment from SoftBank last month, and Nvidia’s multi-billion-dollar deal. Since mid-August, Intel’s stock has risen more than 40%.

A potential investment from Apple would add another vote of confidence. Apple was once a major Intel customer before shifting to its own custom-designed silicon in 2020. For Apple, a deal could help diversify its reliance on Taiwan’s TSMC, its primary chip manufacturer, particularly given geopolitical tensions with China.

The move would also align with Apple’s broader U.S. strategy, with the company committing $600 billion in domestic initiatives over the next four years. Strengthening ties with Intel could bolster Apple’s relationship with the Trump administration, which has supported efforts to cement U.S. leadership in advanced technology.

The White House said it has not been directly involved in discussions between Intel and Apple, though a spokesperson emphasized: “The taxpayer has an equity stake in Intel succeeding, and the Administration supports iconic American companies like Intel doing what’s best to cement American tech dominance.”

Intel has reportedly reached out to other potential partners as well, as it works to secure outside investment and long-term clients for its manufacturing facilities.