Allegations Against Apple Fitness VP Jay Blahnik — What We Know
Recent reporting has accused Jay Blahnik, Apple’s vice president of fitness technologies, of creating a toxic workplace environment. Multiple current and former employees told reporters they experienced or witnessed behavior described as verbally abusive, manipulative, and inappropriate.
Key points
- Allegations include lewd comments, inappropriate speculation about employees’ personal lives, and conduct that made staff uncomfortable.
- About a tenth of Blahnik’s reports reportedly sought extended health or medical leave since 2022, according to reporting.
- Apple has settled a separate sexual harassment complaint against Blahnik, and he and the company are being sued by at least one former employee.
- Apple reportedly conducted an internal investigation and said it found no evidence of wrongdoing. The company told reporters it “strongly disagrees with the premise” of parts of the coverage.
- Some employees said they felt Apple prioritized protecting a high-profile executive over addressing worker concerns.
Apple’s response
Apple spokesperson Lance Lin told reporters: “We strongly disagree with the premise of this story, and there are many inaccurate claims and mischaracterizations.” He declined to provide specifics and said Apple would continue to address the issues through the legal process.
Sources
- MacRumors — Apple responds to Jay Blahnik report
- iThinkDiff — Apple fitness chief accused of toxic workplace
- Times of India — condensed report with Apple statement
Note: This post summarizes recent reporting. The New York Times originally reported aspects of the story; some outlets reference their reporting. We’ll update if more info becomes available.