Google Reaches $50 Million Settlement in Racial Discrimination Lawsuit

Google has reached a settlement with Black employees who alleged systemic racial disparities in hiring, pay, and advancement in a lawsuit filed in 2022. The lawsuit, which was filed by former Google employee April Curley and later received class action status, claimed the company engaged in a pattern and practice of unfair treatment for its Black workers.

The suit claimed Google steered Black employees into lower-level and lower-paid jobs and subjected them to a hostile work environment if they spoke out. According to the lawsuit, Google viewed Black job candidates through harmful racial stereotypes and deemed them not 'Googly' enough, a plain dog whistle for race discrimination.

The settlement, which does not constitute admission of liability by Google, includes a commitment to pay equity analyses, pay transparency measures, and limits on mandatory arbitration for employment-related disputes through at least August 2026.

Civil rights attorney Ben Crump, who represented the plaintiffs, said the settlement is a significant step toward holding Google accountable and making clear that discriminatory practices cannot and will not be tolerated. The court will likely review the settlement terms to ensure compliance, and Google will be required to implement the agreed-upon measures to address the alleged disparities.