Google settles discrimination lawsuit

Back in 2017, Google was sued by three former employees in Ellis vs Google LLC, for systematically underpaying its female employees. A fourth plaintiff was added later on. Google has decided to settle the class-action lawsuit by promising to pay $118 million in monetary relief and invite outsiders to review its pay practices. 

The settlement which is pending approval in San Francisco Superior Court covers 15,500 women employed in California by Google in 236 different jobs since September 2013. The lawsuit was a pain point for Google which has an egalitarian system of solving disputes without involving a third party, after three years the tech giant will let third-party experts assess how it could improve its pay equity process and be faired when establishing rank and pay for new recruits. The law firm representing the company said that there will be an external monitor to assess whether all the expert's recommendations are followed. Google has however not admitted to any wrongdoings, their spokesperson Chris Pappas said "while we strongly believe in the equity of our policies and practices, after nearly five years of litigation, both sides agree that resolution of the matter, without any admission or findings, was in the best interest of everyone."

Google joins other tech companies like Microsoft and Oracle which have also been facing gender discrimination lawsuits. 

Source: The New York Times