Google has reached a $50 million settlement in a lawsuit alleging the company engaged in systemic racial bias against its Black employees, as reported by Reuters. The preliminary agreement was filed earlier this week and is pending judicial approval. This class action suit represents over 4,000 employees.

The plaintiffs in the lawsuit claimed that Google maintains a “racially biased corporate culture” that directs Black employees towards lower-level positions. Additionally, the suit alleges that the company pays these employees less than their counterparts. According to the complaint, in 2021, Black employees made up only 4.4 percent of the workforce and approximately three percent of the leadership. For context, Black Americans comprise 14 percent of the population.

The initial plaintiff alleged that Google denied her promotions and stereotyped her as an “angry” Black woman. She was terminated while preparing a report on the company’s alleged racial bias. The lawsuit also claims that managers belittled Black employees, stating they weren’t “Googley” enough or lacked “Googleyness.”

Despite agreeing to the settlement, Google denies any wrongdoing and has declined to provide further comment.

This lawsuit originated in 2022 when the California Civil Rights Department launched an investigation into Google’s treatment of Black female employees. At the time, the plaintiff stated that the company claimed to support diversity initiatives while actually “undervaluing, underpaying, and mistreating their Black employees.”