Google has agreed to pay $50 million to settle a lawsuit that accused the tech giant of systematic racial bias against Black employees. The preliminary settlement, filed on Thursday in an Oakland, California federal court, covers more than 4,000 Google employees in California and New York and awaits judicial approval.
Details of the Lawsuit
The lawsuit, initiated in March 2022, alleged that Google maintained a “racially biased corporate culture” where management:
- Steered Black employees into lower-level positions
- Paid Black employees less than their counterparts
- Downgraded performance ratings of Black employees
- Denied advancement opportunities based on race
According to the complaint, Black employees made up only 4.4% of Google’s total workforce and a mere 3% of its leadership positions as of 2021. 
The Lead Plaintiff’s Experience
April Curley, the lead plaintiff who was hired to expand Google’s outreach to historically Black colleges, claimed she was denied promotions and stereotyped as an “angry” Black woman. After six years with the company, Curley was terminated as she was preparing a report on Google’s alleged racial discrimination practices.
The lawsuit also highlighted that managers allegedly denigrated Black employees by declaring they weren’t “Googley” enough or lacked “Googleyness,” terms the plaintiffs described as racial dog whistles.
Google’s Response
While agreeing to the settlement, Google has denied any wrongdoing. The company maintains that it fully complied with all applicable laws.
“We strongly disagree with the allegations that we treated anyone improperly and we remain committed to paying, hiring and leveling all employees consistently,” said Google spokeswoman Courtenay Mencini in an emailed statement on Friday.
Settlement Details
Out of the $50 million settlement fund, the plaintiffs’ lawyers may seek up to $12.5 million in fees. It’s worth noting that related claims brought on behalf of job applicants were dismissed earlier this week, with the lawyers citing evidence they had gathered and Google’s “reasoned arguments.”
The case settlement comes at a time when tech companies face increasing scrutiny over diversity and inclusion practices. The outcome of this settlement may influence how workplace discrimination cases are handled in the tech industry moving forward.
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This case is documented as Curley et al v Google LLC, U.S. District Court, Northern District of California, No. 22-01735.
