The suit alleges one hiring decision at Google snowballed into years of inequitable treatment
A former Google executive claims the company under-leveled him at hire, blocked his promotions for years, then fired him months after he complained about race discrimination.
Kenneth Marco Hardie spent nearly eight years at Google, generating what he says were hundreds of millions of dollars in revenue for the tech giant. But in a lawsuit filed November 13 in federal court in Washington, D.C., he argues the company never properly valued his work—or him.
The case, which has not yet been adjudicated, paints a portrait of how hiring and leveling decisions can ripple through an employee's entire career. Hardie, who is Black, joined Google in August 2017 with 13 years of experience, a bachelor's degree from Yale University, and a Master of Business Administration from New York University. He says Google hired him as a Level 6 Head of Industry for its Government & Advocacy division, even though the company typically placed candidates with 12 or more years of experience at Level 7.
That one-level difference, he argues, set the stage for years of inequity in pay, promotion opportunities, and career trajectory.
The numbers Hardie posted were strong by any measure. In 2018, his leadership increased growth in the Government & Advocacy business line from 12 percent year-over-year to over 30 percent year-over-year. In 2019, his team generated more than 40 percent year-over-year growth....
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