Judge throws out employee bag check lawsuit against Apple

A judge has thrown out a 2013 lawsuit by Apple Store employees asking for back pay for the time they spent enduring “demoralizing” security searches while leaving work for the day, Bloomberg reports. As many as 12,400 former and current Apple Store workers from 52 stores in California were seeking a few extra dollars per work day for the time they spent over a six-year period having bags and Apple devices searched during meal breaks and after the end of their shifts, which could have left Apple facing a payment of more than $60 million. In his ruling, U.S. District Judge William Alsup sided with Apple, saying employees were free to choose to avoid the searches by not bringing their bags to work. Lee Shalov, a lawyer for the workers, said the employees are disappointed in the ruling and exploring a possible appeal. Apple declined to comment.