Google’s Hypocrisy on Gender Equality

Few days ago, Google’s Senior Software Engineer James Damore has been fired for writing a 10-page document about gender inequality in tech industry.

In the document, wrote in July, he claimed that biological factors may explain why the are so few women employed in STEM.

In a note delivered to all employees, Google’s CEO Sundar Pichai wrote that despite Google supports freedom of speech, portions of Damore’s document violated company’s Code of Conduct “by advancing harmful gender stereotypes”.

James Damore said he would likely pursuing a legal action against Google.

He earned a Master Degree in Biology at Harvard University and spent one year at MIT as researcher. So, at least, he knew what he was talking about.

He has been working for Google since march 2013, according to his LinkedIn account.

The story had a great follow on the internet and social media. Google’s choice of firing him was welcomed by gender equality advocates from all the world and liberal media. But was it the right choice to make?

Maybe, maybe yes, maybe no. This is not the point. The point is about what would you expect from a company which choose gender equality over freedom of speech: consistency.

If for you gender equality comes first, you should not make any difference based on gender in waging employees. This is the truth of the matter.

Mostly if you’re a company whose motto is “Don’t be evil”.

So, is Google a coherent company in fighting gender discrimination?

Unfortunately, no.

At least for 3 reasons:

1 ) In November 2014, Glassdoor compared salaries of men and women working in the most important tech companies. The report showed that at Google, women senior software engineers earn 15% less than male counterparts, about $25,104 less per year, $2,092 per month.

2) In April, United States Department of Labour(DoL) accused Google of widespread wage gender discrimination against women. DoL said it had evidence of “extreme” and systematic compensation disparities.

DoL asked Google to release wage documents and data to the government.

Google, however, repeatedly refused to provide the data, which was a violation of the law.

Being a federal contractor, Google is obligated to show its records to the government, if required.

In May, during a testimony, Google’s lawyers said that releasing data would cost over $100,000 and 500 labour-hours. Obviously too much for a company which revenue is $89.46 billion.

And you know there’s something going wrong when the company whose goal is to organize and make accessible all the information in the world tells you it can’t even access his own data.

Later in July, the government and Google agreed on a compromise: the company is obligated to release a snapshot of 2014 pay records.

The investigation is still ongoing.

3) In August, Altshuler Berzon LLP, a law firm based in San Francisco, started preparing a class action lawsuit against Google, following DoL investigation.

In few weeks, James Finberg, the firm partner in charge of the matter, spoke with more than 70 women. Everyone has worked or still is working with Google.

Several women he interviewed have said they make about $40,000 less than male colleagues doing the same work, with one woman saying she makes two-thirds of a male peer’s salary.

Interviewed by Forbes, Finberg said that Google is “institutionalizing gender discrimination, and it’s against California law”.

In view of the above, James Damore’s dismissal seems more a desperate attempt by Google to save his face than a rational decision based on concerns for gender equality.