In a significant legal move, a former employee has taken action against a major tech company, alleging widespread labor violations. Lorenzo Rosas Torres filed a complaint on March 17, 2025, in the Superior Court of California, County of Santa Clara, against Apple Inc., claiming the company violated numerous labor laws under the Private Attorneys General Act (PAGA).
The complaint outlines a series of allegations against Apple Inc., asserting that the company failed to comply with various sections of the California Labor Code. Torres claims that during his employment from June 2017 to January 2024, Apple engaged in practices such as not paying proper overtime wages and requiring employees to work off-the-clock without compensation. The lawsuit alleges violations of multiple labor code sections including those related to overtime pay, meal and rest breaks, minimum wage requirements, and accurate wage statements. "Defendants would also be liable for civil penalties pursuant to Labor Code sections 210 (for failure to timely pay these wages), 558, 1198 and 2699," states the complaint.
Torres further accuses Apple of failing to reimburse employees for necessary expenses incurred during their duties, such as mileage for personal vehicle use and uniform costs. Additionally, he claims that Apple conducted unlawful background checks on prospective employees before making conditional job offers and used salary history information improperly when determining employment terms. These actions allegedly resulted in unequal pay based on gender or ethnicity for similar work roles.
The plaintiff seeks civil penalties under several sections of the Labor Code including sections 210, 226.3, and others amounting to more than $35,000. The relief sought includes not only monetary compensation but also injunctive relief requiring Apple to rectify its employment practices according to state laws.
Representing Torres are attorneys David D. Bibiyan and Henry G. Glitz from Bibiyan Law Group P.C., while the case is presided over by Judge M. Bui under Case No. 25CV461185.