Does everyone really get a fair shot at success in Silicon Valley?
That question is at the heart of a major lawsuit against Google.
The company has agreed to pay $28 million to settle claims that it favored white and Asian employees over others in pay and promotions.
The case was spearheaded by Ana Cantu, a former employee who says she worked tirelessly for seven years.
Meanwhile, she watched her white and Asian colleagues climb the corporate ladder while she remained stuck.
“Same work, different paychecks,” was essentially her claim.
Google denies any wrongdoing, insisting it hires and pays employees fairly.
The Settlement Is A Good Result
But a judge called the settlement “a good result,” impacting over 6,600 employees in California.
Still, after legal fees and penalties, the actual payout comes down to $20.4 million.
The lawsuit originally aimed to include Black employees, but they were excluded from the final settlement.
Why? Google pushed for it, and the legal team agreed.
While this payout might bring some closure, it also raises bigger questions.
Is it a sign of accountability, or just another case of a tech giant writing a check to move on?
Either way, the fight for equal pay in the industry is far from over.
