Google has agreed to pay $28 million (£22 million) to settle a class action lawsuit alleging the company favored white and Asian employees by offering them higher pay and more opportunities for career advancement than other workers.
The settlement, which was approved by Judge Charles Adams of the Santa Clara County Superior Court in California last week, affects at least 6,632 Google employees in California between February 15, 2018, and December 31, 2024. Judge Adams described the settlement as “fair, reasonable,” and “a good result for the class.”
A Google spokesperson confirmed the settlement on Tuesday, but emphasized that the company continues to disagree with the allegations. The spokesperson reiterated that Google remains committed to fair pay, hiring, and career advancement for all employees.
The lawsuit was filed by Ana Cantu, a former Google employee of Mexican and Indigenous descent, on behalf of minority workers at Google, including those from Hispanic, Latino, Indigenous, and Native American backgrounds. Cantu claimed that despite her exemplary performance over seven years in Google’s people operations and cloud departments, she remained at the same job level while white and Asian colleagues received higher pay and promotions.
Cantu alleged that Google placed white and Asian employees in higher job levels for similar work and withheld raises and promotions from employees who voiced complaints. She argued that the company’s actions violated the California Equal Pay Act. Cantu left Google in September 2021.
The settlement amount will total $20.4 million after deducting $7 million for legal fees, penalties related to Cantu’s claim under California’s Private Attorneys General Act, and other costs.
A final settlement approval hearing is scheduled for September. Cantu’s lawyers did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
