Google Racial Bias Lawsuit Settlement
Google (GOOG) has reached a $50 million settlement in a lawsuit accusing the tech giant of systemic racial bias against Black employees. The settlement, which covers over 4,000 Google employees in California and New York, was filed in Oakland, California federal court on Thursday evening and is pending judicial approval.

Allegations of Systemic Discrimination
The class action lawsuit alleges that Google fostered a “racially biased corporate culture” in which Black employees were disproportionately assigned to lower-level positions, paid less, given lower performance ratings, and denied opportunities for advancement. According to the complaint, Black workers made up only 4.4% of Google’s overall workforce and just 3% of its leadership in 2021.

Plaintiff’s Claims
One of the lead plaintiffs, April Curley, was hired to expand outreach to historically Black colleges. She claims Google denied her promotions, stereotyped her as an “angry” Black woman, and eventually terminated her after she began preparing a report on the company’s alleged racial discrimination. The lawsuit also alleges that Google managers used the term “Googleyness” as a covert way to stereotype Black employees, claiming they were not “Googley” enough to fit the company’s culture.

Google Denies Wrongdoing
While Google has agreed to settle the lawsuit, the company denies any wrongdoing and maintains that it fully complies with applicable laws. The company did not immediately provide additional comments on the settlement.

Background of the Lawsuit
The lawsuit was initiated in March 2022, following an investigation by the California Civil Rights Department (now known as the California Civil Rights Department) into Google’s treatment of Black female employees. The plaintiffs’ attorneys may seek up to $12.5 million in fees from the settlement fund.

The case is titled Curley et al v. Google LLC, U.S. District Court, Northern District of California, No. 22-01735.