As employee unrest simmered at Apple in late 2021, Tim Cook, the company’s chief executive, sent an email reminding staff that the world’s most valuable company would do everything in its “power to identify those who leaked”.

The email spoke to the tech giant’s strictly enforced culture of secrecy that had kindled frustration among a group of former and current employees who collected accounts of verbal abuse, harassment and discrimination at Apple.

Two of those former employees complained about the company’s policies to the National Labour Relations Board.

More than a year later, the labour board has found merit in the claim that Apple and its top executives have violated federal law with actions and policies that discourage employees from joining together to advance their interests.

A spokeswoman for the labour board said on Tuesday that it had determined that Apple’s work and confidentiality rules “interfere with, restrain or coerce employees” from collective action. If the parties are unable to settle the case, the board will issue a formal complaint against Apple and hold a hearing.

The labour board responded to five charges brought in late 2021 by two former Apple employees, Ashley Gjovik, an engineering programme manager at Apple for six years, and Cher Scarlett, an engineer on the company’s security team.

Both women were involved in the early days of what would become the activist group #AppleToo.

New York Times News Service