Apple Loses Racism Case Filed By Indian Female Employee Against Pakistani, Indian Manager

It is hard to believe that in the 21st century, discrimination is still a common problem in the workplace. Inequalities within discriminated groups are widening day by day. Discrimination can occur at every stage of employment, from recruitment to education and remuneration and at the time of lay-offs.

Apple Inc. lost an early round in a discrimination lawsuit brought in the U.S. by Anita Nariani Schulze, a female engineer from India. The lady claims that her managers — one from her country, the other from Pakistan — treated her as they would in their own countries: as a subservient. 

Anita Nariani Schulze told the court that she was forced to quit her Apple job in 2019. She also specified that she was tolerating the discriminatory treatment for years by her Indian & Pakistani managers. 

Apple Inc. Lost An Early Round In A Discrimination Lawsuit

Anita Nariani Schulze is part of the Sindhi minority — she is Hindu, with ancestry in the Sindh region of what is now Pakistan. Her complaint claims that despite positive performance reviews and substantial team contributions, her senior and direct managers, both male, routinely excluded her from meetings while inviting her male colleagues, mocked her, micromanaged her job, and denied her bonuses.

 Schulze claims the managers’ animus reflects sexism, racism, religious bias and discrimination based on national origin. The Sindhi Hindu nationality is “known for its technical acumen” and its gender equality, she says, which “exacerbated the managers’ discriminatory treatment.”

 Courts Verdict

In a tentative ruling on Wednesday, Santa Clara County Superior Court Judge Sunil R. Kulkarni rejected Apple’s request to toss out the suit. Kulkarni said Schulze had sufficiently backed her legal arguments, while not deciding on the merits of the case. Apple had argued her claims weren’t specific enough and were based on stereotypes.

But the judge rejected Schulze’s request to represent a class of female Apple employees who suffered job discrimination over the last four years. He agreed with Apple that she didn’t show a pattern of discrimination that could be applied to a broader group.

It wasn’t clear from the court’s docket whether the judge will hold a hearing Thursday before issuing a final ruling. Apple didn’t immediately reply to a request for comment.