Former Employees Sue Google Over Alleged Gender Bias

Three former Google employees have filed a class-action lawsuit against the search giant alleging it discriminated against women. The lawsuit, filed Thursday in San Francisco Superior Court, claims the tech company placed the three female plaintiffs in lower level jobs than their male counterparts. The women say they were denied promotions or position transitions that could have boosted their careers. One plaintiff, identified as Kelly Ellis, said she left Google due to its “sexist culture,” claiming she was denied a promotion despite “excellent performance reviews” and being placed in a position normally reserved for recent college graduates despite having years of experience. Lawyers said more than 90 current and former employees have come forward to complain of discrimination. A Google spokeswoman said the company would review the suit but denied the allegations. She said Google uses a “rigorous” procedure to determine promotions and job levels and relies on “checks to make sure there is no gender bias in these decisions.”