Google to Pay $28M to Settle Lawsuit Over Favoring White and Asian Employees

Google has agreed to pay $28 million to settle a class-action lawsuit that claimed the company favored White and Asian employees in pay and career advancement over Hispanic, Indigenous, Native American, Pacific Islander, and Native Hawaiian workers in California.

The lawsuit, covering at least 6,632 employees from 2018 to 2024, alleged that non-White, non-Asian employees were placed in lower job levels, denied raises, and overlooked for promotions despite performing the same work as their White and Asian colleagues.

The case was brought by Ana Cantu, a former Google worker of Mexican and Indigenous descent, who worked at the company for seven years in HR and cloud computing. She claimed that while White and Asian employees advanced and earned more, she remained stuck in the same position despite her strong performance.

According to Cantu, Google’s actions violated the California Equal Pay Act. She left the company in September 2021.

A California judge approved the settlement preliminarily last week, calling it fair and reasonable. The agreement includes:

• $20.4 million to be distributed among affected employees
• $7 million for legal fees and penalties

Google denied any wrongdoing, with a company spokesperson stating that it remains committed to fair pay and equal treatment for all employees.