May 13, 2025 Story by: Editor
Google has agreed to pay $50 million to resolve a proposed class-action lawsuit filed by current and former Black employees who alleged the company systematically compensated them less than their peers, according to court documents and company filings.
Litigation Background
The suit, Curley et al. v. Google LLC (No. 22-01735), was filed in March 2022 in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, where it was assigned to Judge Kandis A. Westmore. Lead plaintiff April Curley, hired in 2011 to expand outreach to historically Black colleges, accused Google of denying Black employees promotions, stereotyping them as “angry,” and terminating Curley after six years as she prepared an internal report on racial pay disparities.
Terms of the Settlement
The $50 million fund will compensate more than 4,000 current and former Black Google workers in California and New York, covering claims through March 2025. Under the proposed agreement—which remains subject to final court approval—plaintiffs’ attorneys may request up to $12.5 million in fees and expenses, typical in complex class actions. Claimants will receive awards calculated on factors including years of service, job level, and pay disparities relative to non-Black peers.
Google’s Prior Bias Settlements
This settlement follows earlier bias suits: in March 2025, Google paid $28 million to settle claims by more than 6,000 Latino, Indigenous, and Pacific Islander employees alleging pay gaps, and in 2022 it agreed to a $118 million settlement with women accusing the company of gender pay discrimination.
Reactions and Next Steps
Ben Crump Law, Stowell & Friedman Ltd., and attorney Sam Sani represent the Curley plaintiffs; Google is defended by Paul Hastings LLP. In court filings, plaintiff lawyers dismissed related claims for job applicants, indicating confidence in the company’s willingness to resolve employment-related disputes.
A fairness hearing is scheduled for July 2025 before Judge Westmore. If approved, Google will issue notices to class members and begin processing claims. In a statement, Google said it “remains committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion” and views the settlement as a “step toward resolving employee concerns and moving forward together.”
Source: Bloomberg Law / CourtListener / EconomicTimes/GovInfo/ KTVU FOX 2 San Francisco / Reuters
