According to reports, the search giant has agreed to pay out as much as $118 million. The amount will, according to the settlement, cover as many as 15,500 female employees. Those are, specifically, female employees who worked for its California-based offices starting from September 2013. The settlement follows a lawsuit started by three former employees who accused Google of underpaying women, filed in 2017. With claims explicitly claiming that women were separated into lower-paying jobs that didn’t offer advancement. Men, the claim indicated, were not segregated into those jobs.
What did Google agree to in its gender equity settlement?
Now, as noted above, money isn’t necessarily the most important part of this gender equity settlement. Beyond the $118 million agreed upon by Google, the company also agreed to a full review of its practices. The review will be conducted by independent experts and will cover the gamut. That’s from hiring practices to pay-equity studies. Google has not admitted to any wrongdoing in reaching its settlement. But the clause will presumably help prevent future incidents related to how it pays and employs women. The sentiment is mirrored by at least one of the plaintiffs in the lawsuit. Former employee Holly Pease has stated that the results of the settlement are cause for optimism. Specifically in terms of ensuring future equity for women in the tech industry. Google’s position as a leader in the tech industry, Ms. Pease says, gives it the opportunity to “lead the charge to ensure inclusion and equity for women in tech.” For its part, Google has said that it “strongly” believes in the “equity” of its policies and practices. Citing five years of litigation and statements from the plaintiffs in the matter, the company says that this resolution was in the best interest of everyone.
