Google promises to settle a class action accusing women of systematically paying underpayments, provide $ 118 million in monetary relief, and call on outsiders to review their wage practices. did.
Three former Google employees were Ellisv in 2017. He first sued the company at Google LLC, claiming that he paid less to women than men for the same job. The fourth plaintiff was added later.San Francisco Superior Court Judges Must Approve Friday settlementTargets approximately 15,500 women employed by Google in 236 different positions in California since September 14, 2013.
Long-term legal debates have been an unpleasant subject for Google, which takes pride in the spirit of egalitarianism. This was consistent with a sexist proceeding against Microsoft and Oracle’s peers with mixed results.Women suing software company Oracle faced setbacks on Friday, Bloomberg Act report Previously, when the judge stripped the plaintiff’s class action status.
“We strongly believe in the fairness of our policies and practices, but after nearly five years of proceedings, both sides have decided that it is in the best interests of all to resolve the issue without approval or discovery. I agree, “said Chris Pappas of Google. A spokeswoman said in a statement. “We are very pleased to reach this agreement,” he added, analyzing equal pay for equal work over the past nine years and raising employee wages if there is good reason.
Three years after the settlement was officially approved, Google will have third-party experts evaluate how to improve the equal pay for equal work process, establish ranks and be fair in paying new employees. According to the companies representing plaintiffs, Lieff Cabraser Heimann & Bernstein and Altshuler Berzon, there is also an external monitor to assess whether the company is following expert recommendations.
“As a woman who has spent her entire career in the tech industry, she is optimistic that the actions Google has agreed to take as part of this reconciliation will increase women’s equity,” said Holly Pease, one of the plaintiffs. I have. ” statement.
