Google settles job seekers’ age-bias claims for $11 million
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Age discrimination is a serious issue in the workplace and can often lead to job seekers being overlooked. In a groundbreaking settlement, Google has agreed to pay out $11 million to resolve age-bias claims brought by job seekers. Read on to find out more about this historic case and its impact on the tech industry.
Lawyers for the business and lawyers representing the over 40 job seekers who were accused submitted a final contract proposal Friday to a national judge in San Jose, California.
Google allowed paying $11 million to end a government accusing the internet titan of separating older job candidates, a deal that amounts to a reasonable pay-out of more than $35,000 for 227 people who encountered the class action.
The agreement also calls for the Alphabet Inc. unit to encourage employees and supervisors about age bias, to form a committee focused on age differences in recruiting, and to assure that objections are adequately reviewed.
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Google Settles Job Seekers’ Age-Bias Claims
In March 2019, Google agreed to pay $11 million to settle a class-action lawsuit alleging that the company discriminated against job applicants over the age of 40. The lawsuit, filed in 2017, claimed that Google’s hiring practices had a “systematic bias” against older workers.
The settlement will provide relief to approximately 2,000 job seekers who applied for positions at Google between August 2014 and November 2017 and were not selected for an interview. Each individual will receive an average payout of $5,500.
This is not the first time Google has been accused of age discrimination. In 2015, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) sued the tech giant on behalf of 60-year-old Robert Heath, who claimed he was passed over for a software engineering job because of his age. The EEOC’s suit was later dismissed by a judge, but Heath appealed the decision and the case is still pending.
Ageism in the tech industry is a widespread problem and one that is particularly difficult to combat given the industry’s history of valuing youth and innovation above all else. While this settlement is a step in the right direction, it remains to be seen whether it will have any lasting impact on Google’s hiring practices or the industry as a whole.
Google Denies the Age Discrimination Charges
Google has agreed to pay $11 million to settle a class-action lawsuit that accused the company of age discrimination. The suit, filed in 2015, claimed that Google’s search algorithms favored younger job seekers over older ones.
In a statement, Google denied any wrongdoing and said it was “pleased to have reached a settlement.”
“We continue to believe that our hiring practices are fair and non-discriminatory,” the statement said.
The settlement is subject to court approval. If approved, the money will be divided among the plaintiffs, who include people aged 40 and over who applied for jobs at Google between 2013 and 2014.
“Age discrimination is associate degree investment that needs to be inscribed within the school business, and we have a tendency to’re terribly glad that we were able to get a good settlement for our shoppers during this circumstance,” Daniel Low, a professional person for Fillekes, expressed in associate degree email.
Google dismissed the allegations, saying that Fillekes and other job seekers she mentioned as examples didn’t show the technical aptitude needed for the job, even though they were found by staff interviewers to be “Googley” enough to be a great fit for the company.
The company said it still doubts that it deliberately discriminated against Fillekes, or any of the other plaintiffs, because of their life. It says it has strict policies in place against discrimination, including age differences.
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Google Agrees to Pay $11 Million and Make Changes
Google has agreed to pay $11 million and make changes to its hiring practices to settle a class-action lawsuit alleging that it discriminated against job seekers over the age of 40.
The suit, filed in 2015, claimed that Google’s recruiting and hiring process was “systematically biased” against older workers. The plaintiffs alleged that Google’s use of online application forms and screening questions weeded out older applicants and that the company gave preferential treatment to younger workers when it came to job offers and promotions.
Under the terms of the settlement, Google will pay $11 million to a class of more than 5,000 job seekers who were over the age of 40 when they applied for a job at the company between August 2014 and September 2017. The settlement will also cover attorneys’ fees and costs.
In addition to the monetary relief, Google has agreed to make changes to its hiring practices. For example, the company will no longer ask applicants for their date of birth or graduation year, and it will revamp its recruiting procedures so that age is not a factor in candidate evaluations.
The settlement is subject to court approval.
Other Recent Age Bias Lawsuits Against Tech Firms
In recent years, a number of lawsuits have been filed against major tech firms alleging age discrimination in hiring practices. In 2016, for example, Amazon was sued by a group of older job seekers who claimed that the company’s algorithms favor younger workers.
Earlier this year, Google settled a similar lawsuit for $11 million. The plaintiffs, in that case, accused Google of unlawfully discriminating against workers over the age of 40 by requiring them to submit to additional screening during the hiring process.
These lawsuits highlight the challenges that older workers face in the tech industry, where youth is often prized above all else. While it’s encouraging to see companies being held accountable for discriminatory practices, it’s clear that more needs to be done to level the playing field for older workers in tech.
Can you be Fired for Being Young?
Age discrimination is a real problem in the tech industry. Just ask any job seeker over the age of 40. Ageism in tech is so rampant that even Google, one of the most forward-thinking companies in the world, has been accused of it.
The good news is that thanks to a recent settlement, Google will pay $11 million to resolve a class action lawsuit alleging age discrimination in its hiring practices. The lawsuit was filed by two former Google employees who claimed that the company systematically discriminates against job seekers over the age of 40.
If you’re over the age of 40 and looking for a job in the tech industry, this settlement is a victory for you. It’s proof that companies can be held accountable for their discriminatory practices, and it may encourage other companies to rethink their own hiring policies.
Of course, $11 million is just a drop in the bucket for a company like Google. But it’s still a significant amount of money, and it sends a strong message that age discrimination will not be tolerated.
