• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia

Trendingnow

1

Billionaire Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong says most charities are 'net negative'—and that he has no plans to make his own foundation

2

Scott Bessent dared the $32 trillion bond market with 'I am the house now' statement. It didn’t listen

3

As the U.S. Treasury shells out $95 billion a month in interest to cover deficits, Trump pitches a $1.3 trillion payout to voters if Republicans win the midterms

1

Billionaire Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong says most charities are 'net negative'—and that he has no plans to make his own foundation

2

Scott Bessent dared the $32 trillion bond market with 'I am the house now' statement. It didn’t listen

3

As the U.S. Treasury shells out $95 billion a month in interest to cover deficits, Trump pitches a $1.3 trillion payout to voters if Republicans win the midterms
Silicon Valley

Judge rejects $324 million tech hiring settlement

By
Tom Huddleston Jr.
Tom Huddleston Jr.
Down Arrow Button Icon
By
Tom Huddleston Jr.
Tom Huddleston Jr.
Down Arrow Button Icon
August 8, 2014, 5:19 PM ET
483746673
Photo by Andrew Unangst—Getty Images
Google source logo
Add Fortune on Google for similar content.

A federal judge in California has rejected a $324.5 million settlement in an antitrust case targeting the hiring practices at tech giants Apple, Google, Intel and Adobe Systems.

U.S. District Judge Lucy Koh ruled Friday that the “total settlement falls below the range of reasonableness” in a three-year old class action brought by a group of tech workers who alleged that the group of companies had colluded to bring down Silicon Valley salaries by agreeing to not poach each other’s workers.

The two sides agreed to settle the case in April after the companies produced emails showing executives at various companies discussing no-hire deals with their counterparts at other companies. But they denied claims that they conspired to keep down wages.

However, Koh said in her order Friday that the four companies must add more than $50 million to their settlement proposal – at least $380 million – in order to make it fair to all class members.

Google and Apple declined to comment.

Three other companies – Walt Disney’s (DIS) Pixar and Lucasfilm units and Intuit (INTU) – had also been named as defendants in the suit, but previously reached a separate settlement. Disney agreed to pay roughly $9 million while Intuit paid $11 million.

Koh wrote that she based her decision on the value of that earlier settlement, while taking into account the fact that the remaining defendants – Apple (AAPL), Google (GOOG), Adobe (ADBE)and Intel (INTC) – employed far more class members than the companies whose settlement was already approved.

The judge also seemed to feel that the group led by Apple and Google might be getting off easy, writing that “there is ample evidence of an overarching conspiracy.” Had the case gone to trial, the companies could have faced more than $9 billion in damages along with a mountain of bad publicity, she said. While Koh acknowledged that a trial also could have exposed holes in the class members’ case, she reached the conclusion that the companies “should, at a minimum, pay their fair share.”

About the Author
By Tom Huddleston Jr.
See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon

Latest in


Most Popular

Fortune Secondary Logo
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • World's Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
  • Lists Calendar
Sections
  • Finance
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Features
  • Leadership
  • Health
  • Commentary
  • Success
  • Retail
  • Mpw
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
  • CEO Initiative
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Conferences
  • Europe
  • Newsletters
  • Personal Finance
  • Environment
  • Magazine
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
  • Group Subscriptions
About Us
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • TikTok icon
  • YouTube icon

    Latest in


    Most Popular

    © 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
    FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.