Tech giant Google has agreed to pay $50 million to settle a high-profile class-action lawsuit brought by a Black former recruiter who alleged systemic racial discrimination within the company’s hiring and promotion practices.
Filed on behalf of a group of Black employees and applicants, the lawsuit accused Google of subjecting Black workers to lower pay, limited career advancement, and a hostile work environment, while exploiting their presence to project a false image of diversity and inclusion.
The lead plaintiff claimed that despite her “stellar qualifications and performance,” she was “under-leveled,” denied merit increases, and passed over for promotions.
The complaint also alleges that Black candidates were subjected to more rigorous hiring standards and “level-inappropriate” interview questions deliberately designed to sink their chances of success.
“As Plaintiff’s success in recruiting talented, well-qualified Black candidates grew,” the lawsuit stated, “she discovered that Google was not genuinely interested in actual diversity and equal employment opportunities but wanted only to burnish its public image for marketing purposes.”
The case mirrors a growing trend of workplace equity challenges across Silicon Valley, where tech companies have long faced criticism for failing to create inclusive environments and equitable pathways for Black professionals and other marginalized groups.
Thursday’s settlement comes without any admission of wrongdoing by Google.
“We’ve reached an agreement that involves no admission of wrongdoing,” a Google spokesperson told HR Dive. “We strongly disagree with the allegations that we treated anyone improperly and we remain committed to paying, hiring, and leveling all employees consistently.”
This isn’t the first time the company has been forced to respond to employee bias claims. In 2019, Google agreed to an $11 million settlement in an age discrimination lawsuit, and in 2021, it paid $3.8 million to resolve a U.S. Department of Labor investigation into pay disparities affecting women and Asian employees at its California and Washington state locations.
The most recent $50 million agreement highlights the ongoing scrutiny tech companies face regarding equity in the workplace—particularly when it comes to hiring, pay, and leadership opportunities for Black professionals in the industry.
