Google has agreed to pay $28 million (£21.5 million) to settle a lawsuit accusing the company of paying and offering career opportunities unfairly, benefiting white and Asian employees over workers from other ethnic backgrounds, according to the law firm representing the claimants.
The tech giant confirmed that it has “reached a resolution” but rejected the claims made against it. The lawsuit, filed in 2021 by former employee Ana Cantu, argued that workers from Hispanic, Latino, Native American, and other backgrounds were given lower starting salaries and job levels compared to their white and Asian counterparts.
The settlement, which has been given preliminary approval by Judge Charles Adams of the Santa Clara County Superior Court in California, is based on a class action lawsuit that involved at least 6,632 individuals employed by Google between February 15, 2018, and December 31, 2024. The case used a leaked internal document, allegedly showing that employees from certain ethnic backgrounds earned less for similar work.
Support from Lawyers and Collective Action
Cathy Coble, one of the lawyers representing the claimants, praised the “bravery of both the diverse and ally Googlers who self-reported their pay and leaked that data to the media.” She added that without collective action from employees, suspected pay inequities could be easily concealed.
Despite the settlement, Google denied any wrongdoing and continued to assert that it treated all employees fairly. A Google spokesperson said, “We reached a resolution, but continue to disagree with the allegations that we treated anyone differently, and remain committed to paying, hiring, and levelling all employees fairly.”
This settlement comes as Google, along with other companies such as Meta, Amazon, and McDonald’s, has been backing away from commitments to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) policies. U.S. President Donald Trump and his allies have frequently criticized DEI programs, leading to some companies reevaluating or rolling back their DEI initiatives.
What The Author Thinks
Racial pay gaps in large corporations, especially in tech companies like Google, have been longstanding issues, and while settlements are a step in the right direction, they should not be the final answer. Implementing long-term structural changes and being transparent about pay practices are crucial steps in truly addressing these disparities. It is clear that many companies, including Google, have not done enough to ensure equity, and without deeper commitments to changing their culture and internal practices, these kinds of settlements will remain a band-aid solution.
Featured image credit: FMT
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