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Apple has agreed to pay $150,000 to resolve a federal religious discrimination lawsuit accusing the company of refusing to accommodate a Jewish employee’s Shabbos observance and later terminating his employment after he raised concerns about antisemitic treatment.

The case was brought by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) in September 2025 on behalf of Tyler Steele, who had worked for years at Apple’s retail store in Reston, Virginia. The lawsuit alleged that the technology giant violated federal law by denying Steele’s request for a religious accommodation and retaliating against him after he complained.

According to the complaint, Steele converted to Judaism in the spring of 2023. At first, his supervisor approved his request not to be scheduled on Fridays and Saturdays so he could properly observe Shabbos. However, after a new manager took over, that accommodation was revoked.

The lawsuit states that in September 2023, Steele asked again to have Fridays and Saturdays off, but his new manager, Anthony Dosch, refused the request. The complaint further alleges that Dosch told Steele he “could become a rules Nazi with regards to our policies.”

The EEOC also alleged that, shortly after Hamas’ October 7, 2023, attack on Israel, Dosch cautioned Steele against discussing politics or the war while at work. About a month later, Steele was issued a misconduct warning alleging that body odor had violated company policy.

Federal officials said Steele reported what he believed was antisemitic conduct, along with the denial of his religious accommodation, to Apple management in November 2023. According to the lawsuit, he was dismissed from his position in January 2024 after reminding Dosch that he would be unable to work on an upcoming Friday because of his religious obligations.

“Employees should not have to violate their religious beliefs to keep their jobs or live in fear of retribution because they requested an accommodation,” EEOC Philadelphia Regional Attorney Debra Lawrence said in a statement at the time the lawsuit was filed.

The EEOC’s lawsuit charged Apple with religious discrimination and unlawful retaliation under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.

On August 7, Apple and the EEOC jointly notified a federal court in Virginia that they had reached a settlement, nearly one year after the lawsuit was filed. The agreement still requires judicial approval before becoming final.

As part of the settlement, Apple denied any wrongdoing and did not admit liability. Nevertheless, the company agreed to pay Steele $80,000 in back wages along with $70,000 in compensatory damages and interest, for a total of $150,000.

The agreement also requires Apple to revise its policies regarding religious accommodations and provide training to certain employees in its Virginia operations within 90 days.

Shas chairman Aryeh Deri has entered the battle over the upcoming Likud primaries, directing chareidi activists to support several candidates who have worked closely with the chareidi community during the current Knesset term.

According to sources, Deri has instructed grassroots activists within the chareidi sector to campaign on behalf of several Likud candidates ahead of the party’s internal elections. At the top of his recommended list are MK Boaz Bismuth, chairman of the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee, and MK Chanoch Milwidsky, chairman of the Knesset Finance Committee.

Both lawmakers have earned significant appreciation among chareidi leaders and activists for their efforts on issues affecting the chareidi public throughout the current term.

As chairman of the Finance Committee, Milwidsky has played a central role in advancing budgetary and financial matters benefiting the chareidi community, including confronting legal challenges posed by the Attorney General and Israel’s High Court of Justice.

Bismuth, who heads the Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee, has been deeply involved in deliberations surrounding the military draft law and efforts to regulate the status of bnei yeshivos.

Deri has also included Coalition Chairman MK Ofir Katz and MK Avichai Boaron among his preferred candidates, with activists likewise encouraged to assist their campaigns in the primaries.

The directive reflects a broader strategy of rewarding Likud lawmakers who have supported the chareidi community on major legislative and policy issues during the current Knesset, with the expectation that chareidi activists who are registered Likud members will return that support at the ballot box.

The Likud primaries are scheduled for Monday, August 17, when party members will choose the party’s slate of candidates for the next Knesset election.

{Matzav.com}