BREAKING NEWS: Former exec sues Apple over dismissal

[AppleInsider]

A former top Apple Computer executive who left the company last year is suing the Mac maker for wrongful termination, CNet News.com is reporting.

"Tim Bucher, who headed Macintosh Hardware Engineering until last fall, filed suit last month in Santa Clara County Superior Court alleging that Apple terminated him without cause and failed to pay all due compensation, including restricted stock grants and a bonus," the publication says.

In the lawsuit, filed Feb. 4, Bucher claims to have suffered damages including the loss of income as well as emotional distress. He is suing for lost compensation, as well as punitive damages and other penalties. A case management conference is scheduled for May 31, 2005.

Bucher was hired by Apple in March 2003 to assume the roll of vice president of Macintosh System Development. In May of 2004 Bucher was promoted to senior vice president of Macintosh Hardware Engineering, replacing Jon Rubinstein, who moved on to oversee the company's newly created iPod division.

According to a copy of the lawsuit obtained by CNet News.com, Bucher alleges that on Nov. 10, Apple Executive Vice President Tim Cook told him to go home, saying only that "a change is coming." The same day, Bucher says that Apple CEO Steve Jobs told him, "You're not a failure. Even God couldn't have done both of the jobs I pushed you to do."

Two days later, Bucher said that Jobs told him that people sometimes thought of him as a "manic-depressive." In the same conversation Jobs reportedly told Bucher "I'm not sure what I am going to do, but I think I am going to have to ask you to leave the company."

After departing in December, sources told AppleInsider that Bucher was replaced by Peter Mehring, former founder of Umax Corporation. The reasons behind Bucher's departure were never made public, until now.

The full story is available at CNet News.com.

[ View this article at AppleInsider.com ]

[Denmaru]

And I always thought of Apple as a good employer...

[deepkid]

Originally posted by Denmaru
And I always thought of Apple as a good employer...

There's more than one side to a story, so don't jump.

[Gene Clean]

There where there's smoke, there's fire.

[m01ety]

If you immediately know the candlelight is fire, the meal was cooked a long time ago.

[ZO]

Apple, like ANY company, isnt perfect.

Shit happens people. Even in the best places.

[mdriftmeyer]

Originally posted by Gene Clean
There were there's smoke, there's fire.

Where there is smoke, there is fire.

[blue2kdave]

Originally posted by mdriftmeyer
Where there is smoke, there is fire.

Or in Yoda-speak

Where smoke there is, fire there is.

[thevil]

So why was he fired? Well, he didn't do his job apparently, but ...

"Even God couldn't have done both of the jobs I pushed you to do."

Both jobs?

[hardeeharhar]

Perhaps he was fired because people who needed to work with him couldn't because he was nuts.

[Guartho]

Did he have anything to do with the iMac delay? Perhaps by not knowing what was going on and squashing the G4 line too early, etc?

[Gene Clean]

Originally posted by mdriftmeyer
Where there is smoke, there is fire.

I was translating a Turkish saying, so it came out kinda... different. But yes, 'Where there is smoke, there is fire'. We both said the same thing.

[akhomerun]

i know it's pretty much illegal for a company to fire someone because of a disability, but if the job requires the person to not be affected by depression, then i guess apple couldn't have him work for them. i mean if you think about it, being manic-depressive (horrible spelling probably) could really screw things up being a VP. apple needed someone who wouldnt do a poor job because of their mood.

but they probably should have given him the benefits that someone would deserve. i mean a person who hurt their back would recieve compensation for their disability after they were let go. the same has to go for depression, cause it's considered a disability or something.

although, you know either way the guy is still rich and he doesn't really need any more money.

[Louzer]

Remember, a wise man never tries to warm himself in front of a painting of a fire.

[O and A]

i'm sure we'll learn more when he writes his tell all book.

I wonder what two things he failed to do as head of mac hardware. I wonder...

[ClimbingTheLog]

Well, clearly he's responsible for not getting the Powerbook G5 out last Tuesday, that was the job he didn't do.

But he did get me my Mac Mini, and it rocks. Good job, man!

[BWhaler]

California is an at-will employment state.

Unless this guy is a protected class, he is going to have a hell of a time seeing a dime.

[O and A]

Originally posted by ClimbingTheLog
Well, clearly he's responsible for not getting the Powerbook G5 out last Tuesday, that was the job he didn't do.

But he did get me my Mac Mini, and it rocks. Good job, man!

Isn't that more IBMs fault than anything

[Aurora]

Originally posted by BWhaler
California is an at-will employment state.

Unless this guy is a protected class, he is going to have a hell of a time seeing a dime.

I thought all the ( executives are protected class) I had to laugh, the guy in his law suite mention he had a couple of raises in 2 years I wonder how many Apple employees ( working class ) got a couple of raises in two years. I would wager none. The rich executive class seem to allways do well dont they????executive compensation has gone through the roof while Joe workers gets screwed.

[thuh Freak]

Originally posted by akhomerun
i know it's pretty much illegal for a company to fire someone because of a disability, but if the job requires the person to not be affected by depression, then i guess apple couldn't have him work for them. i mean if you think about it, being manic-depressive (horrible spelling probably) could really screw things up being a VP. apple needed someone who wouldnt do a poor job because of their mood.

but they probably should have given him the benefits that someone would deserve. i mean a person who hurt their back would recieve compensation for their disability after they were let go. the same has to go for depression, cause it's considered a disability or something.

although, you know either way the guy is still rich and he doesn't really need any more money.

manic depression (these days its called "Bipolar disorder") isn't really depression in the typical sense. It tends to be categorized by extreme highs and extreme lows (like running around being the energetic life of a party, then attempting suicide or something). also, the steve only said that people were calling him manic; not that the guy actually was diagnosed, and didn't mention if he was seeking treatment.

[johnliscomb]

Originally posted by BWhaler
California is an at-will employment state.

Unless this guy is a protected class, he is going to have a hell of a time seeing a dime.

At the same time there are Federal laws which prevent discrimination against those with disabilities. Yes, mental disorders are considered to be a disability by the government. As such, assuming this former exec gets a decent lawyer I would imagine they WILL have an easy time getting a nice settlement out of Apple.

If this guy were "nuts" he never would have gotten the job to begin with. Apple doesn't hand out upper exec positions to anyone off the street.

Some of History's greatest mind suffered from what we call Bi-Polar disorder. Head over to Amazon.com and do a quick search, you may be surprised. Also of note, for those of us who have read extensively about the History of Apple Computer, one has to wonder what type of mental disorder Mr Jobs "suffers" from.

Food for thought i suppose.

Cheers!

[Scott]

Originally posted by Denmaru
And I always thought of Apple as a good employer...

Good employers fire people all the time. It's good to fire people that can't do the job. It's a tremendous drain on everyone else to keep these people on.

[BuonRotto]

As an at-will state, it will be tough to get this thing to rule in favor of Bucher especially since the events seem kind of ad-hoc. The order of things seems difficult to mail down. He's likely looking for a monetary settlement, to get the options or some portion of their value back and move on beofre it can go to trial.

From the account given, it sounds like Apple made him to go to a shrink against his wishes and he denied needing one. I would think that not only would Apple have to act in good faith to get him counseling before firing him, but that he would have to act in good faith as well. Seems suspicious from the account that he denied having any psychological problems at the time, but now he's suing because he has post-facto realized that he, in fact, does have these issues? Would Apple be responsible for something he has essentially admitted after the fact?

I guess the one thing I'm not clear on is the claim of a corporate power play and how that fits in.

[Scott]

He must have been under a contract so all of the "at will" issues are moot.

[johnliscomb]

Originally posted by BuonRotto
As an at-will state, it will be tough to get this thing to rule in favor of Bucher especially since the events seem kind of ad-hoc. The order of things seems difficult to mail down. He's likely looking for a monetary settlement, to get the options or some portion of their value back and move on beofre it can go to trial.

From the account given, it sounds like Apple made him to go to a shrink against his wishes and he denied needing one. I would think that not only would Apple have to act in good faith to get him counseling before firing him, but that he would have to act in good faith as well. Seems suspicious from the account that he denied having any psychological problems at the time, but now he's suing because he has post-facto realized that he, in fact, does have these issues? Would Apple be responsible for something he has essentially admitted after the fact?

I guess the one thing I'm not clear on is the claim of a corporate power play and how that fits in.

Well assuming that none of us work for Apple or were directly involved with either Jobs or this fellow it is a lot of specuation at best. My guess is the general public will never know what really happened. Perhaps someday a "tell all" type book will be written. Then again maybe not, this will just be yet another tiny footnote in the History of Apple Computer.

We can go back and forth all day on this. Each is entitled to their view and theory, but without a lot more information, from MULTIPLE sources its not even good "arm chair" quartering back because so little is known.

my .02