Google has agreed to a $50 million USD settlement to resolve a lawsuit alleging racial bias against black employees. The agreement, reached through mediation, received certification from a US District Court judge in Oakland and will cover approximately 4,000 current and former Google employees in California and New York.
The lawsuit’s initial catalyst was an investigation initiated in 2021 by the California Civil Rights Department (formerly known as the California Department of Fair Employment and Housing) into Google’s treatment of black female workers. Subsequently, in April 2022, April Curley, a former Google employee, filed a lawsuit in federal court in San Jose, asserting that she and other black employees experienced systemic discrimination during their tenure at the company.
April Curley, who was employed at Google for six years, was initially hired to focus on outreach and developing recruitment programs targeting historically black colleges and universities. However, according to her allegations, her experience at the company deteriorated. She claimed she faced stereotyping as an “angry” black woman and, along with other black female employees, was allegedly excluded from presenting at important meetings. Curley further alleged that her employment was wrongfully terminated in 2020 after she raised concerns about internal company practices.
The lawsuit, which sought class-action status, alleged that black employees at Google were disproportionately hired for lower-level positions, received lower wages compared to their counterparts in similar roles, were subjected to hostile workplace comments, and were unfairly denied opportunities for promotion. The complaint specifically mentioned instances where managers reportedly told black employees they were not “Googley” enough, a comment the plaintiffs argued served as a racially coded message.
Throughout the legal proceedings, Google, headquartered in Mountain View, California, consistently maintained that it had not violated any employment laws. In a statement, Google spokesperson Courtenay Mencini stated, “We’ve reached an agreement that involves no admission of wrongdoing. We strongly disagree with the allegations that we treated anyone improperly, and we remain committed to paying, hiring, and leveling all employees consistently.”
Beyond the monetary settlement, Google has agreed to conduct an analysis of its pay practices and implement adjustments to address any disparities based on race over the next three years. The company has also committed to maintaining transparency regarding salary ranges for positions and establishing clear methods for employees to report concerns related to pay or other employment practices.
Additionally, the settlement agreement, filed in federal court, stipulates that Google will refrain from requiring employees to enter into mandatory arbitration for employment-related disputes until August 2026.
Photo credit: The Pancake of Heaven/Wikipedia.
Facebook Comments