Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge

Google is set to pay $118 million to settle a class-action gender discrimination lawsuit that includes around 15,500 women (via Bloomberg). As noted in the settlementā€™s press release, Google is also required to have an independent labor economist evaluate its hiring practices and pay equity studies.

The lawsuit first emerged in 2017 after three women filed a complaint accusing the company of underpaying female workers in violation of Californiaā€™s Equal Pay Act, citing a wage gap of around $17,000. The complaint also alleges Google locks women into lower career tracks, leading to less pay and lower bonuses when compared to their male counterparts. The plaintiffs won class-action status last year.

Googleā€™s treatment of workers has been the target of scrutiny more than once. Last year, Google agreed to pay $2.5 million to settle a lawsuit that claimed the company underpaid female engineers and overlooked Asian job applicants. Californiaā€™s Department of Fair Employment and Housing (DFEH) is also investigating the company over complaints of potential harassment and discrimination against Black female employees.

A number of similar lawsuits targeting pay gaps have surfaced within the last decade

ā€œAs a woman whoā€™s spent her entire career in the tech industry, Iā€™m optimistic that the actions Google has agreed to take as part of this settlement will ensure more equity for women,ā€ Holly Pease, a plaintiff in the case, said in a statement. ā€œGoogle, since its founding, has led the tech industry. They also have an opportunity to lead the charge to ensure inclusion and equity for women in tech.ā€

The terms of the settlement still need to be approved by a judge in a hearing that will take place on June 21st. Google didnā€™t immediately respond to The Vergeā€™s request for comment.

A number of similar lawsuits targeting pay gaps have surfaced within the last decade, with class-action gender discrimination suits against Microsoft and Twitter failing to gain traction. Oracle is also facing a class-action lawsuit alleging unequal pay, but according to Bloomberg Law, the group of women suing the company will likely lose class-action status after a judge said a class with 3,000 employees and 125 job classifications would be ā€œunmanageable to proceed to trial.ā€ Other tech companies, like Apple and Riot Games, have also faced accusations of pay inequality.

By

Leave a Reply

X