4 ms·

Yeah, I hate to reflexively take the side of a huge corporation here. I don't doubt that Apple has abusive employer relations, but it really does feel like ther

by baddox 6y ago

Yeah, I hate to reflexively take the side of a huge corporation here. I don't doubt that Apple has abusive employer relations, but it really does feel like there's something missing from this story.

rewq4321 6y ago
It seems plausible that Apple has a policy against free-lance tech support and they over-applied the rule in this case when he was just helping out a friend - perhaps using work resources in some way (e.g. a work phone was involved).
- baddox 6y ago
  It's certainly plausible, but it still feels like something is missing. How did the boss hear about this? "Someone told him." This all just sounds so very odd.
  - AnIdiotOnTheNet 6y ago
    Even so, I can't imagine anyone actually being let go over this as described unless the company was actively searching for a reason to fire them.
- netsharc 6y ago
  To follow the thread of skepticism about the whole story: it's a bit like the customs entry form you have to fill when entering some countries. One question asks "Are you a member of a terrorist organization?". People laugh when they see this, and say "Why would any terrorist check 'yes' here?!". But the idea is, if they do catch a terrorist, if they can't satisfiably prove he's done anything wrong, they can still say "He lied while filling a customs form" and jail him. So... maybe the company/boss has other issues with the guy, but no solid ground to fire him, until they caught him "violating" this "conflict of interest" rule.
  - baddox 6y ago
    How can you “catch a terrorist” without proving that they have done something wrong?
    - ncmncm 6y ago
      They lied on the form! What else do they need? Yes, this does not make sense. But that is the reality of law enforcement, and of border patrol. It doesn't take a conviction to cancel your visa and deport you.
    - tylerhou 6y ago
      Other people can tip you off to their plans, and you can arrest them with a backpack full of knives. That’s pretty reasonable suspicion that they were about to commit an act of terrorism. https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/04/27/armed-police-westminster-arrest-man-backpack-knives/ https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/04/27/armed-police-wes...
      - baddox 6y ago
        Right, but planning a terrorist attack isn't "they can't satisfiably prove he's done anything wrong."
    - true_religion 6y ago
      In the US, mere declaration of support for a terrorist organization isn’t illegal. It is free speech after all. Without being able to prove that you have given money, or undergone training by terrorists, or support or plan to commit a specific act then it would be otherwise difficult to remove someone from the country. However asking on the form grants two options.... first they can simply deny entry, and second they can deport you for lying if it turns out you are the press secretary for the IRA for example.
- kube-system 6y ago
  Or they applied the policy exactly as they intended to. Some organizations simply enforce their policies without exception.
emn13 6y ago
That is, however, exactly what you're doing. We can see if apple responds, but until then, I'm assuming he's telling the truth.
- donor20 6y ago
  Emn - did this guy sign a release so that apple could release his records. A lot of these types of complaints, they don't / won't sign a release allowing the employer to release their records.
- vaxman 6y ago
  Apple won’t “respond”...it would become actual news (instead of “Hacker News”) if they made any comment. Nope, this is going down like firing the worker for letting his little girl blog from the lunchroom with a prototype within view or the kid who blew his brains out in the conference room etc.

by baddox 6y ago

Yeah, I hate to reflexively take the side of a huge corporation here. I don't doubt that Apple has abusive employer relations, but it really does feel like there's something missing from this story.

rewq4321 6y ago

It seems plausible that Apple has a policy against free-lance tech support and they over-applied the rule in this case when he was just helping out a friend - perhaps using work resources in some way (e.g. a work phone was involved).

baddox 6y ago
It's certainly plausible, but it still feels like something is missing. How did the boss hear about this? "Someone told him." This all just sounds so very odd.
- AnIdiotOnTheNet 6y ago
  Even so, I can't imagine anyone actually being let go over this as described unless the company was actively searching for a reason to fire them.
netsharc 6y ago
To follow the thread of skepticism about the whole story: it's a bit like the customs entry form you have to fill when entering some countries. One question asks "Are you a member of a terrorist organization?". People laugh when they see this, and say "Why would any terrorist check 'yes' here?!". But the idea is, if they do catch a terrorist, if they can't satisfiably prove he's done anything wrong, they can still say "He lied while filling a customs form" and jail him. So... maybe the company/boss has other issues with the guy, but no solid ground to fire him, until they caught him "violating" this "conflict of interest" rule.
- baddox 6y ago
  How can you “catch a terrorist” without proving that they have done something wrong?
  - ncmncm 6y ago
    They lied on the form! What else do they need? Yes, this does not make sense. But that is the reality of law enforcement, and of border patrol. It doesn't take a conviction to cancel your visa and deport you.
  - tylerhou 6y ago
    Other people can tip you off to their plans, and you can arrest them with a backpack full of knives. That’s pretty reasonable suspicion that they were about to commit an act of terrorism. https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/04/27/armed-police-westminster-arrest-man-backpack-knives/ https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/04/27/armed-police-wes...
    - baddox 6y ago
      Right, but planning a terrorist attack isn't "they can't satisfiably prove he's done anything wrong."
  - true_religion 6y ago
    In the US, mere declaration of support for a terrorist organization isn’t illegal. It is free speech after all. Without being able to prove that you have given money, or undergone training by terrorists, or support or plan to commit a specific act then it would be otherwise difficult to remove someone from the country. However asking on the form grants two options.... first they can simply deny entry, and second they can deport you for lying if it turns out you are the press secretary for the IRA for example.
kube-system 6y ago
Or they applied the policy exactly as they intended to. Some organizations simply enforce their policies without exception.

emn13 6y ago

That is, however, exactly what you're doing. We can see if apple responds, but until then, I'm assuming he's telling the truth.

donor20 6y ago
Emn - did this guy sign a release so that apple could release his records. A lot of these types of complaints, they don't / won't sign a release allowing the employer to release their records.
vaxman 6y ago
Apple won’t “respond”...it would become actual news (instead of “Hacker News”) if they made any comment. Nope, this is going down like firing the worker for letting his little girl blog from the lunchroom with a prototype within view or the kid who blew his brains out in the conference room etc.