Google Settles $28M Lawsuit Over Alleged Pay Discrimination
Google has agreed to pay $28 million to settle a lawsuit alleging it favored white and Asian employees over Hispanic, Indigenous, and other underrepresented workers in pay and promotions. The lawsuit, led by former employee Ana Cantu, claimed Google placed white and Asian employees in higher job levels and withheld raises from others. The settlement, covering over 6,600 employees in California, was granted preliminary approval by Judge Charles Adams.
Cantu, who worked at Google for seven years, said she remained at the same job level while white and Asian colleagues advanced. She alleged the company’s hiring and pay practices reinforced racial disparities, violating the California Equal Pay Act. Google denied the allegations, with spokesperson Courtenay Mencini stating, "We continue to disagree with the allegations that we treated anyone differently, and remain committed to paying, hiring and leveling all employees fairly."
While the tech giant settled, it has also rolled back its diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives, following a trend among major corporations like Meta, Amazon, and Walmart. The final settlement approval hearing is scheduled for September 11th.
