Apple vs. the Sabbath: When "Inclusion" Excludes Faith | Faith & Freedom #7
The EEOC just filed a federal lawsuit that exposes Big Tech's double standard: diversity for everything except genuine religious conviction.
THE CASE (WITH RECEIPTS):
On September 30, 2025, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission filed a federal lawsuit against Apple Inc. for religious discrimination under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act.
The facts: A 16-year Apple retail employee at their Reston, Virginia store converted to Judaism in 2023 and requested accommodation to observe the Sabbath (Friday evening through Saturday evening). Apple denied the request, then allegedly retaliated with pretextual "grooming policy violations," and terminated him in January 2024.
Source: EEOC Press Release, September 30, 2025 - EEOC v. Apple Inc., U.S. District Court
WHY THIS MATTERS:
This isn't just about one case. It's about whether "diversity and inclusion" actually includes people of faith - or if it only celebrates identities that don't require companies to change anything.
Title VII of the Civil Rights Act (1964) requires employers to provide reasonable accommodation for sincerely held religious beliefs unless it causes "undue hardship." For a trillion-dollar company to claim undue hardship in scheduling one employee? That's going to be hard to prove.
WHAT YOU'LL LEARN:
- The documented facts from the EEOC complaint
- What Title VII actually requires employers to do
- Why "undue hardship" has a high legal bar
- The double standard: Pride Month celebrations vs. Sabbath firings
- 5-step playbook for requesting religious accommodation at work
- How to document your case and when to escalate to EEOC
- Why this matters for Christians, Jews, Muslims, and all people of faith in tech
SCRIPTURE REFERENCES:
- Exodus 20:8 - "Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy"
- Acts 5:29 - "We must obey God rather than men"
- Colossians 3:23 - "Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men"
KEY QUOTE:
"If the Navy can make religious accommodation work on a warship with 350 people and critical missions, Apple can make it work in a retail store with rotating schedules."
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This is Faith, Freedom & Tech - where code meets conviction. For tech professionals who refuse to choose between their career and their conscience.
Host: Scott W Houghton - DevSecOps Architect, Cloud Expert, Navy Veteran, Conservative Christian navigating faith in Big Tech.

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