Former Apple employee alleges discrimination

Former Apple employee Shaune Patterson, who worked as a human resources compensation consultant for Apple, alleges in a complaint filed last week in a San Francisco federal court that the Mac computer maker discriminated against her because of her race, her size, and her sexual orientation. Patterson alleges she was suspended for one month and then wrongfully terminated from her position after she complained that her white counterparts, who were junior to her, were making higher salaries than she was. Patterson alleges that the suspension came one day after she complained of racial discrimination. Patterson amended her original complaint to include claims of sexual orientation and genetic characteristic discrimination. Prior to her one-month suspension, Patterson alleges that one of Apple's managers wrote a memo describing her as a "rather obese-sized black lesbian." An Apple Computer spokesperson did not immediately return a call for comment. (Peter Bejger, Advocate/Sirius OutQ News)