Google agrees to pay $28 million discrimination claim settlement
Google agreed to a settlement of USD 28 million in response to a lawsuit alleging that the company provided preferential pay and career advancement opportunities to white and Asian employees over those from other ethnic backgrounds. This settlement was announced by a law firm representing the claimants.
The tech giant confirmed that it had “reached a resolution” regarding the case but firmly rejected the allegations made against it.
The lawsuit, filed in 2021 by former employee Ana Cantu, claimed that workers from Hispanic, Latino, Native American, and other backgrounds were offered lower starting salaries and job levels compared to their white and Asian counterparts.
Judge Charles Adams of the Santa Clara County Superior Court in California has granted preliminary approval for the settlement.
The case cited a leaked internal document purportedly showing that employees from certain ethnic backgrounds reported receiving lower compensation for performing similar work. Cantu's legal team argued that using prior salaries to determine starting pay and job levels perpetuated existing disparities based on race and ethnicity.
The class action lawsuit encompasses at least 6,632 individuals who worked at Google between Feb. 15, 2018, and Dec. 31, 2024, according to Reuters.
Cathy Coble, one of the attorneys representing the plaintiffs, commended the “bravery of both the diverse and ally Googlers who self-reported their pay and leaked that data to the media.” She emphasized, “Suspected pay inequity is too easily concealed without this kind of collective action from employees.”
In its statement, Google denied any discriminatory practices, asserting, “We reached a resolution, but continue to disagree with the allegations that we treated anyone differently, and remain committed to paying, hiring, and leveling all employees fairly.”
Earlier this year, Google became part of a trend among US companies moving away from commitments to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) in their hiring practices. Other major corporations, including Meta, Amazon, and Walmart, have also scaled back their DEI initiatives.
