10,000+ Women Sue Google over Gender Pay Disparity

Four women who worked at Google have reportedly won class-action status to represent 10,800 women in a lawsuit against Google over their claim of a Masters of the Universe gender pay disparity.

Engadget reports that four women who previously worked at Google have won class-action status to proceed with their gender pay disparity lawsuit. The latest ruling means that the suit can now apply to 10,800 women who held various positions at Google since 2013.

Those affected represent a broad selection of employees at Google including engineers, program managers, salespeople, and even a preschool teacher. The women, who are seeking more than $600 million in damages, allege that Google violated the California Equal Pay Act by paying them less than their male coworkers in similar positions.

Female workers at google earn almost $16,800 less than a “similarly situated man,” according to a previous suit filing, which cited an analysis by UC Irvine economist David Neumark. The suit also alleges that Google’s use of prior salary information was a key factor in perpetuating wage inequality at the company.

Google discontinued this practice in 2017 but the suit alleges that it has failed to address its wage gaps. Google has denied the lawsuit’s central allegations.

The original suit that was brought by Kelly Ellis, Holly Pease, and Kelli Wisuri in 2017 was tossed out by a judge before being submitted a year later with an additional plaintiff, Heidi Lamar, now involved.

The ruling adds to scrutiny around Google’s treatment of female employees. In February the company reached a settlement with the Department of Labor over systemic compensation and hiring discrimination at its California and Washington offices. Google agreed to pay more than $2.5 million to more than 5,500 current employees and job applicants who had faced pay disparities.