Apple sued by fired worker who claims Jobs guaranteed his job
Wayne Goodrich says he was fired from Apple despite a promise of job security from the late Steve Jobs, according to Bloomberg.
Apple has been hit by a lawsuit from an ex-employee who says he was promised a job for life.
Wayne Goodrich, a former executive producer with Apple, claims that he was a "confidant, sounding board, and close adviser" to Steve Jobs, Bloomberg reported today. As such, the late Apple co-founder allegedly told Goodrich in 2010 that he would always have a job at Apple, even if his current position were to be eliminated.
Despite that reported promise, Goodrich was fired in December for what Apple referred to as "business reasons," unrelated to his job performance.
Goodrich's lawsuit, filed on August 17 in The Superior Court of California, County of Santa Clara, claims breach of contract and unfair business practices, Bloomberg added. The suit seeks damages for wages, benefits, the loss of restricted stock, and emotional distress.
The claim further alleges that Apple specifically fired him so it wouldn't have to pay off on his restricted stock, worth around $635 per share as of August 17. Restricted stock refers to shares often held by insiders that must meet specific conditions before the owner can cash in on them. One typical condition is that the employee must be with the company for a certain number of years.
CNET contacted Apple for comment and will update the story if we receive more information.