Google to Pay $50 Million to Settle Race Discrimination Class Action

According to a Bloomberg Law article, Google has agreed to pay $50 million to resolve a proposed class action alleging systemic race discrimination against Black and “Black+” employees—those identifying as Black and at least one other race. 

The case originated with April Curley, a former university outreach specialist, who alleged she was terminated in 2020 for advocating against discriminatory practices. Curley claimed that Black candidates were routinely deemed not “Googly” enough and were intentionally asked inappropriate questions during interviews to derail their prospects. While some individual claims were dismissed on jurisdictional grounds, the broader class claims have now been resolved with prejudice under the proposed joint stipulation.

The settlement, reached in the US District Court for the Northern District of California, follows claims that the tech giant steered Black workers into low-level roles with limited advancement potential, subjected them to biased hiring practices, and ultimately created a hostile work environment that hindered career growth. The resolution is expected to benefit approximately 4,000 current and former employees.

According to the settlement motion, the agreement includes both monetary and non-monetary relief. While class counsel plans to seek up to 25% of the fund in attorneys’ fees and service awards of up to $50,000 for the three class representatives, the parties emphasized the long-term policy reforms included in the deal. 

Google will continue race-based pay equity analysis, maintain its stance against using salary history in compensation decisions, and suspend enforcement of mandatory arbitration agreements for employment disputes through August 2026.

For litigation and compliance professionals, this settlement underscores the growing legal and reputational risks of systemic bias and race discrimination claims. It also reflects a trend toward integrating policy reform into monetary settlements, highlighting the importance of proactive compliance reviews, transparent hiring practices, and the careful use of arbitration agreements in employment settings.