Google has agreed to pay $28 million to settle a class-action lawsuit alleging racial bias in pay and career opportunities, the BBC reported on Wednesday.
Filed in 2021 by former employee Ana Cantu, the lawsuit claimed that Hispanic, Latino, Native American, and other minority workers were placed in lower-paying positions than their white and Asian colleagues.
A leaked internal document allegedly showed disparities in compensation for similar work, reinforcing systemic inequities, according to the lawsuit.
"Educational institutions may neither separate or segregate students based on race, nor distribute benefits or burdens based on race," says memo, an extension of Trump's order banning diversity, equity and inclusion programmes.
The settlement, which covers at least 6,632 employees who worked at Google between February 15, 2018, and December 31, 2024, has received preliminary approval from a California judge.
Google denied any wrongdoing but said it had “resolved.” A company spokesperson said Google remains committed to fair pay, hiring, and promotion practices.
The case comes amid a broader shift in corporate diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) policies. Google, Meta, Amazon, and other major firms have scaled back DEI programs in recent months, while US President Donald Trump has called for the elimination of such initiatives in government agencies and contractors.
The US president also signed orders to mandate the development of an American Iron Dome and the reinstatement of military personnel who were discharged for refusing to take the Covid vaccine.
