Diversity Memo Author Drops Lawsuit Against Google

A lawsuit against Google from a disgruntled employee has ended, after James Damore and three others involved in the legal action wrote to the Santa Clara Superior Court to drop the charges.

James Damore was fired by Google in 2017 for writing a controversial internal memo questioning the company’s diversity policies, which he said discriminated against conservative white males.

Damore’s infamous memo entitled “Google’s Ideological Echo Chamber” was posted on an internal discussion board and questioned affirmative action policies at the firm that sought to balance gender representation in the workplace. Damore alleged these practices were “unfair, divisive, and bad for business.”

Diversity memo

He maintained that gender imbalances in tech could be explained by men just being better-suited to working in the industry.

Damore had in 2017 worked for Google for four years, but his position was terminated by Google chief executive Sundar Pichai, who said parts of Damore’s memo violated the company’s code of conduct by “advancing harmful gender stereotypes”.

Damore confirmed in 2017 in an email he was fired for “perpetuating gender stereotypes” and said he was exploring his legal options.

Months later in January 2018 Damore sued Google, after he accused the technology giant of “systematically” singling out, punishing and terminating employees whose views on diversity, social justice and gender bias differed from the majority view at Google.

Now it has emerged that Damore and his fellow plaintiffs have asked the court to drop the lawsuit, an action that has been agreed by Google.

“This matter is dismissed in its entirety,” Judge Brian Walsh was quoted by USAToday as writing in the order.

It is also reported in other media outlets that a complaint Damore filed to the US National Labor Relations Board was rejected, after the panel decided Google had a valid reason for his dismissal.

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