Google settles racial discrimination lawsuit for $50 million

Google has agreed to a $50 million settlement with Black employees who accused the company of systemic racial discrimination in hiring, compensation, and career advancement. The lawsuit, filed in 2022 by former Google employee April Curley, alleged that Black workers were steered into lower-paying roles and faced a hostile work environment when raising concerns. The suit also claimed Google used racial stereotypes to evaluate Black candidates, labeling them as 'not Googly enough,' a phrase critics say is a coded reference to race. The case, which gained class-action status, highlighted years of complaints from Black employees, including AI scholar Timnit Gebru, who was pushed out in 2020 after disputing research on AI’s societal risks. The settlement, announced by civil rights attorney Ben Crump, does not admit liability but includes commitments to pay equity reviews, salary transparency, and limits on mandatory arbitration for employment disputes until at least August 2026. Google’s practices were accused of reinforcing racial bias in hiring, with interviewers allegedly undermining Black candidates and placing them in roles with less advancement potential. The lawsuit described a pattern of steering Black employees into lower-level positions and subjecting them to discrimination when they spoke out. The settlement aims to address long-standing concerns about racial disparities in the tech industry, with Crump calling it a step toward accountability. Google did not immediately comment on the agreement, but the terms reflect a broader push for corporate transparency and equity in workplace policies.