Google, the Mountain View, California-based tech giant with approximately 187,000 employees, finally reached a settlement in a 2016 lawsuit that alleged the company employed illegal practices to stifle employee complaints about workplace conditions. The case centered on claims that Google's confidentiality policies were unlawful, restricting employees from openly discussing labor conditions and matters related to the workplace.
The origin of the lawsuit can be traced back to the termination of an employee at Google-owned Nest, who was fired for airing grievances about the company's management on Facebook. Google defended the termination, asserting a violation of its data classification guidelines, which prohibited the disclosure of confidential information. However, the employee contended that the data classification guidelines were overly broad.
California labor law mandates that corporate confidentiality policies must allow employees the freedom to speak out about labor conditions. In response to the legal challenge, Google revised its guidelines in 2017, seeking to align its policies with the requirements outlined in California labor regulations.
Filed under California's Private Attorneys General Act, which empowers individuals to sue on behalf of the government for alleged labor code violations, the case is awaiting court approval for its settlement terms. If approved, a substantial portion of the settlement will be allocated to the state, while approximately 100,000 Google employees are expected to receive compensation ranging from $20 to $70 each.
The lawsuit shed light on various alleged anti-whistleblowing measures employed by Google, including restrictions on speaking to the press, disclosing salary information, discussing working conditions, and reporting rule violations to the Securities and Exchange Commission. Section 7 of the National Labor Relations Act guarantees workers the right to discuss wages and working conditions with co-workers, but private employees in the workplace do not have First Amendment free speech protection.
Courtenay Mencini, a spokesperson for Google, stated that the resolution of the matter, reached without any admission of wrongdoing, is in the best interest of everyone involved. This settlement adds to Google's recent legal challenges, including a jury ordering the company to pay $1.15 million to a New York executive who alleged discrimination based on gender, retaliation for complaints, and denial of a promotion.
As Google navigates these legal waters, the outcomes will likely shape discussions on employee rights, workplace conditions, and the boundaries of corporate confidentiality policies in the tech industry and beyond.
