One of Apple’s senior leaders is set to step down prematurely following allegations of harassment and cultivating a detrimental work environment, which reportedly prompted several staff members to seek mental health-related absences.
Jay Blahnik, who serves as the vice president overseeing fitness technologies at Apple, is slated to retire next July after dedicating around 13 years to the company, as reported by The New York Times.
At 57, Blahnik played a pivotal role in crafting the celebrated fitness components of the Apple Watch.
Regrettably, his tenure was overshadowed by claims of sexual harassment and accusations of fostering a hostile work atmosphere.
Both current and former employees, totaling nine, have come forward with allegations that Blahnik was known for his hostile and intimidating behavior towards his team.
Reportedly, since 2022, over a tenth of Blahnik’s nearly 100-member team has sought extended leave due to mental health or medical concerns, according to the same report.
Apple previously settled one sexual harassment complaint involving Blahnik.
The company is also battling a lawsuit from former employee Mandana Mofidi, 41. She alleged Blahnik bullied her. The case is set to go to trial next year.
Apple vice president of fitness technologies Jay Blahnik, 57, is set to retire in July after roughly 13 years at the company
Blahnik, who helped develop the Apple Watch, has been accused by former and current employees of harassing staff and creating a toxic workplace environment
Mofidi joined Apple in 2021 to help direct the company’s audio efforts and claimed she received early feedback from Blahnik.
In a review, Blahnik said her first year had been ‘marked by significant growth and achievement,’ per a lawsuit filed against Blahnik and Apple in Los Angeles County Superior Court in 2024.
During that same conversation, Mofidi allegedly raised concerns about receiving a smaller pay raise than her male colleagues.
The following day, Apple’s human resources department asked her to speak with investigators looking into whether Blahnik had harassed Apple creative director Wil Tidman.
She attempted to excuse herself from the investigation because she claimed to be ‘aware’ of Blahnik’s ‘behavior’ and ‘vindictiveness.’
‘I was nervous,’ she told The New York Times last August.
Mofidi claimed Blahnik later shouted at her during a call with a freelancer, which she said started ‘this whole campaign.’
She claimed people working closely with Blahnik then began criticizing her in emails, supposedly to get her fired.
‘The whole experience was incredibly isolating, humiliating,’ Mofidi said. ‘Honestly, scary.’
Mandana Mofidi claimed Blahnik bullied her while she worked at the company. She has sued him and Apple
Blahnik allegedly yelled at Mofidi while she was on a call with a freelancer and had staff who worked closely with him criticize her in emails
In April 2023, Mofidi was told she could either take a buyout or improve her performance, according to the lawsuit.
She then went to human resources, claiming she had been targeted for raising concerns about unequal pay.
Mofidi alleged the company assured her the harassment would stop while her claims were investigated, but that never came to fruition.
She later took medical leave after Apple Wellness, the company’s employee health app, determined she was experiencing anxiety and depression.
While Mofidi was away, the company told her it interviewed more than 20 other workers but could not confirm retaliation by Blahnik.
Officials acknowledged she had borne the ‘brunt of a lot of the harshness that Jay exhibited,’ the lawsuit said.
However, Blahnik remained in his leadership role once the internal investigation found no evidence of wrongdoing.
When her leave ended, Mofidi asked to be moved to a different division to avoid the ‘same toxic environment,’ her lawsuit said.
The request was denied, prompting her to resign. Mofidi’s case against Apple and Blahnik will go to trial next year.
Blahnik, who was well-known as a fitness expert, spent two decades at Nike before joining Apple in 2013
Apple said that Blahnik would retire ‘to spend time with his family and make an exciting move to New York City’
In a previous statement to Daily Mail commenting on Mofidi’s lawsuit, an Apple spokesperson said: ‘We strongly disagree with the premise of this story and there are many inaccurate claims and mischaracterizations.
‘We are and have always been deeply committed to creating and maintaining a positive and inclusive workplace.
‘We take all concerns seriously and we thoroughly investigate whenever a concern is raised and, out of respect for the privacy of any individuals involved, we do not discuss specific employee matters. We will continue to share the facts through the legal process.’
Blahnik is also alleged to have said in front of other employees that one manager’s wife must have had an affair because their son had a different hair color.
The employees who mentioned this comment, including Mofidi, claimed Blahnik used a ‘vulgar’ remark.
Blahnik joined Apple in 2013 after spending two decades at Nike, where established himself as a fitness expert and well-known author.
He was acclaimed for his work on the Apple Watch, helping develop the device’s three-ring system, which tracks a person’s movement, exercise and standing goals.
Blahnik has been credited with being the mind behind the Apple Watch’s three-ring fitness feature
An Apple spokesperson previously said the company had ‘always been deeply committed to creating and maintaining a positive and inclusive workplace’
The watch has sold at least 281 million units, creating roughly $127billion in revenue, according to Wired.
Blahnik later oversaw the Apple Fitness+ subscription service, which offered video and audio workouts in cycling, yoga, kickboxing or rowing.
In an email to staff, Apple said Blahnik would retire ‘to spend time with his family and make an exciting move to New York City.’
The company has not announced who will succeed Blahnik.
The Daily Mail has reached out to Apple and Blahnik for further comment.
