According to CNBC, a recent internal study at Google unveiled evidence of sex-based wage discrimination. The study reveals that Google paid at least one group of men less than their female counterparts for equivalent work.

Wage Discrimination at Google

The study found that in one group of lower-level software engineers men “received less discretionary funds than women.” Nearl half of the adjustment fund was spent on discrepancies in offers to new hires, which was the result of a new hire analysis Google conducted in the 2018 study. This only looked at the company’s discretionary spending and did not analyze other pay equity factors.

Google’s findings come after the company has had to grapple with difficult issues around gender equity in the workplace. Thousands of Google employees worldwide walked out of offices in November after a New York Times Report surfaced a $90 million exit package paid to ex-Android leader Andy Rubin after the company found credible sexual misconduct claims.

Equal Pay Act of 1963

The Equal Pay Act (1963) prohibits sex-based wage discrimination between genders in the same organization working under similar conditions. However, not all pay disparity is discriminatory or improper. Gender pay differences are okay if they are based on seniority, merit, production, or any other non-sex factor.

Google’s internal studies will continue to be in the spotlight as they currently fight a federal lawsuit in California. The case Ellis v Google, LLC, alleges sex-based wage discrimination and pay disparity against Google’s female employees.