Apple Sued By Ex-Worker Who Says Jobs Promised Him Lifetime Employment

An Apple worker has taken the company to court; alleging that he was fired without reason, even though it’s legendary, co-founder the late Steve Jobs had assured him that his job with the company was safe.

The worker Wayne Goodrich, who worked for Jobs since 1998, said he was on intimate terms with Jobs, who would often seek his advice on important matters.

Goodrich’s complaint filed August 17 in a California state court in San Jose claimed that his firing had nothing to do with his work performance and that it was not for “business reasons” as Apple has said.

He said that in a meeting in May 2005, in which only the two of them were present, Jobs assured him that he would never be without a job. Goodrich says that the conversation took place after Jobs’s return from medical leave to receive treatment for pancreatic cancer.

In the complaint Goodrich said, “This express promise by Steve Jobs was consistent with a practice that Steve Jobs had, acting on behalf of defendant Apple, of promising job security to certain key employees who worked directly with him for many years.”

Goodrich alleges that his firing is tantamount to breach of contract and unfair business practices. He is seeking damages for lost restricted stock units, wages, benefits and emotional distress.

Phil Horowitz, Goodrich’s lawyer, wrote in the complaint, that Apple discharged him to avoid paying restricted stock, that was worth $97.40 a share when awarded in 2008 and about $635 a share as of August. 17.

The complaint defines Goodrich’s job profile at Apple as being an executive producer of Apple’s public presentations, including all new product releases and that involved himself in the creative process of preparing the presentation and that he worked alongside Jobs to put things in place for the events. According to Goodrich, these events included coordinating with Jobs on such major product events as the debuts of the iPhone and iPad.

Much more than paid advertising, keynote speeches and the media coverage it brings in its wake has been a vital part of Apple’s strategy for introducing new devices. The significance of such promotional events can be assessed when after just one event; Apple sold more than 3 million iPads when the latest tablet went on sale.

Goodrich in his complaint takes credit for being the one who apprised the company about Siri virtual personal assistant technology. He says that he was the first Apple employee to meet with the people who developed Siri and it was on his initiative that Apple later acquired the technology. He claims it to be one his better accomplishments at the company.

To validate that he was a valuable employee, Goodrich further states in his complaint that he received raises and bonuses each year, from 2007 through 2011. He says that he was assured by Jobs that he would be given another job, if something happened to his current job, even if Jobs was not around.

Well, Jobs is not around, having passed away, battling a rare form of cancer, leaving the world of technology poorer and a supposedly close “confidante and sounding board” jobless and angry.

Steve Dowling, a spokesman for Cupertino, California-based Apple, declined to comment on the lawsuit.