A New York jury has ruled that Google must pay over $1 million to a former female executive for discrimination based on gender and retaliation for speaking out.
The high-profile decision exposes Google’s ongoing struggles with pay equity and advancement opportunities for women employees.
Engineer Hired at Lower Level Than Male Peers
The plaintiff, Ulku Rowe, is an engineering director who worked at Google’s cloud division from 2017 to 2022. Despite her over 20 years of industry experience, she alleged Google hired her at a lower level and salary than men with less expertise.
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At the same trial, Rowe presented evidence that she was passed over for promotion in favor of a less qualified man. She also claimed Google retaliated when she reported discrimination to human resources.
The jury agreed Rowe experienced gender bias and awarded her $1.15 million in combined punitive damages and compensation for emotional distress.
Lawsuit Follows 2018 Walkout Over Sexism
The verdict comes nearly five years after 20,000 Google employees staged a global walkout to protest the company’s handling of sexual harassment complaints and unequal treatment of women.
While Google promised change, employees said it failed to sufficiently address deeper cultural issues enabling gender discrimination.
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Critics point to persistent pay gaps, low retention of female staff, and few women in leadership roles as ongoing indicators of bias.
The Rowe case represents the first lawsuit alleging gender discrimination to reach trial since the 2018 walkouts. Her win is seen as a warning sign to Google on the need for reform.
Equal Pay Remains a Struggle in Tech
The technology sector as a whole continues to grapple with gender and pay inequality. Studies show substantial compensation gaps between male and female engineers, even at senior levels.
Women report hitting a “concrete ceiling” when trying to advance into management roles in tech. Discrimination in hiring and promotions also impacts retention and career progression of female staff.
While Google and other tech giants have pledged commitments to diversity, tangible change has been slow. The Rowe verdict underscores that despite policy improvements, entrenched disparities remain.
More transparency around pay scales and promotion criteria is needed, experts say. Some suggest tying executive compensation directly to representation goals.
As its public image suffers, Google faces growing pressure to back up past pledges with demonstrable action on engendering equal opportunities for female employees to succeed.