Google Settles Racial Bias Lawsuit for $28 Million

Google has agreed to pay $28 million to settle a lawsuit alleging that it favored white and Asian employees over other ethnic groups in terms of pay and career advancement, according to a law firm representing the plaintiffs. Despite reaching this settlement, Google has denied the accusations.

The lawsuit, initiated by former Google employee Ana Cantu in 2021, claimed that Hispanic, Latino, Native American, and employees of other backgrounds were consistently started at lower salaries and job levels compared to their white and Asian colleagues.

This case, which received preliminary approval from Judge Charles Adams of the Santa Clara County Superior Court in California, was bolstered by an internal document leaked to the media. This document reportedly showed discrepancies in compensation among employees performing similar roles, reflecting systemic biases based on prior salaries that perpetuated racial and ethnic disparities.

The class action covered at least 6,632 individuals employed by Google from February 15, 2018, to December 31, 2024. Cathy Coble, a lawyer representing the plaintiffs, commended the courage of Google employees who reported their pay discrepancies and facilitated the leak of the data, highlighting the difficulty of uncovering pay inequities without such collective actions.

Google, however, stands by its employment practices. “We reached a resolution but continue to disagree with the allegations that we treated anyone differently, and remain committed to paying, hiring, and leveling all employees fairly,” a Google spokesperson told the BBC.

The settlement comes amid a broader trend where several U.S. companies, including Meta, Amazon, and McDonald’s, have started to scale back on their commitments to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) in their hiring policies.

This shift aligns with political pressures from figures like U.S. President Donald Trump, who has criticized DEI initiatives and mandated the removal of such programs from federal agencies and contractors since returning to the White House.