Google agrees to pay $28m in racial bias lawsuit

Google has agreed to pay $28m (£21.5m) to settle a lawsuit that claimed white and Asian staff got higher pay and profession alternatives than staff from different ethnic backgrounds, a legislation agency representing claimants says.

The know-how big confirmed it had “reached a decision” however rejected the allegations made in opposition to it.

The case filed in 2021 by former Google worker, Ana Cantu, mentioned staff from Hispanic, Latino, Native American and different backgrounds began on decrease salaries and job ranges than their white and Asian counterparts.

The settlement has been given preliminary approval by Choose Charles Adams of the Santa Clara County Superior Court docket in California.

The case introduced by Ms Cantu in opposition to Google relied on a leaked inside doc, which allegedly confirmed that staff from some ethnic backgrounds reported decrease compensation for related work.

The observe of basing beginning pay and job degree on prior salaries bolstered historic race and ethnicity-based disparities, in keeping with Ms Cantu’s attorneys.

The category motion lawsuit was filed for no less than 6,632 individuals who had been employed by Google between 15 February 2018 and 31 December 2024, in keeping with Reuters information company.

Cathy Coble, one of many attorneys representing them, praised the “bravery of each the various and ally Googlers who self-reported their pay and leaked that information to the media”.

“Suspected pay inequity is just too simply hid with out this sort of collective motion from staff,” Ms Coble added.

The know-how big denied that it had discriminated in opposition to any of its staff.

“We reached a decision, however proceed to disagree with the allegations that we handled anybody in a different way, and stay dedicated to paying, hiring, and levelling all staff pretty,” a Google spokesperson instructed the BBC.

Earlier this 12 months, Google joined a rising listing of US corporations which can be abandoning commitments to rules of variety, fairness, and inclusion (DEI) of their recruitment insurance policies.

Meta, Amazon, Pepsi, McDonald’s, Walmart and others have additionally rolled again their DEI programmes.

It comes as US President Donald Trump and his allies have often attacked DEI insurance policies.

Since his return to the White Home, Trump has ordered authorities businesses and their contractors to remove such initiatives.