Google settles Black employees' racial bias lawsuit for $50 million
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Google agrees to a $50 million settlement in a class action lawsuit over alleged systemic racial bias against Black employees, following claims of discriminatory pay, demotions, and workplace culture.
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The Google logo is seen at the company's headquarters on July 19, 2016, in Mountain View, California. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)
Google has agreed to pay $50 million to settle a class action lawsuit accusing the tech giant of systemic racial discrimination against Black employees. The preliminary settlement, filed Thursday in a federal court in Oakland, California, covers more than 4,000 current and former employees in California and New York.
The racial bias settlement now awaits approval from a judge.
The lawsuit claims Google maintains a "racially biased corporate culture" that disproportionately affects Black employees.
Paintiffs alleged that Black workers were funneled into lower-paying positions, received lower performance ratings, and were consistently denied advancement opportunities. According to the complaint, Black employees made up only 4.4% of Google's workforce and 3% of its leadership as of 2021.
April Curley, a former Google employee and key plaintiff in the case, was hired to increase recruitment from historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs). She said the company denied her promotions, stereotyped her as an "angry" Black woman, and eventually terminated her employment as she prepared a report on the company’s internal practices.
Curley and other plaintiffs also cited using terms like “Googley” and “Googleyness” to justify performance assessments and career limitations, which were described in the suit as racial dog whistles used to exclude or diminish Black employees at Google.
Google denies wrongdoing
While Google has agreed to the settlement, the company denies any liability. “We strongly disagree with the allegations that we treated anyone improperly, and we remain committed to paying, hiring, and leveling all employees consistently,” Google spokesperson Courtenay Mencini stated in an emailed response on Friday.
The settlement also allowed lawyers for the plaintiffs to seek up to $12.5 million in legal fees from the fund.
On Monday, related claims involving job applicants were dropped, with the legal team citing new evidence and Google's counterarguments.
The lawsuit was filed in March 2022 following an investigation by the California Civil Rights Department into the treatment of Black female employees at Google. The case, titled Curley et al. v. Google LLC, is being heard in the US District Court for the Northern District of California under case number 22-01735.
The case has amplified ongoing public scrutiny over systemic racism in tech and highlighted challenges related to diversity, equity, and inclusion in one of Silicon Valley’s most powerful firms.
