A former Google sales executive has filed a lawsuit in Colorado state court alleging that the company pushed him out because of his age and retaliated against him after he complained about discriminatory treatment.
The former executive alleges that his manager discriminated against him based on age, sex and religion and that Google subsequently terminated him after he raised concerns about the alleged treatment, according to reporting by Law360. The lawsuit adds another employment dispute involving Google, as the company faces separate discrimination claims and employee concerns over layoffs.
Google did not issue a public statement in response to the Colorado lawsuit, and no response from the company was forthcoming at the time of publication.
The claims remain allegations, and the lawsuit has not established that Google unlawfully discriminated against or retaliated against the former executive.
Other Discrimination Claims Facing Google
The Colorado lawsuit comes as Google faces separate employment-related litigation involving allegations of racial discrimination and retaliation.
A former consultant who was the only person of colour on his team filed a separate lawsuit alleging he was fired after reporting racial bias to management. According to that complaint, a manager allegedly stated that 'race was a trigger for her because she has racists in her family.' The consultant alleges he was subsequently replaced by two Caucasian colleagues. Google has not publicly commented on that case.
A federal court ruling in July 2026 also allowed part of a retaliation lawsuit filed by a former Google employee to proceed. The employee alleged anti-Arab bias and unlawful termination following participation in anti-Israel protests. The court dismissed other portions of the claim.
These cases involve different plaintiffs and allegations and are separate from the Colorado lawsuit.
Google's $50 Million Racial Discrimination Settlement
Google's employment practices have also faced scrutiny through a separate racial-discrimination class action.
In 2025, Google agreed to a $50 million settlement to resolve allegations of racial discrimination against Black employees. The settlement received final court approval in May 2026. The lawsuit was initiated by former Google recruiter April Curley and alleged discrimination involving hiring, job assignment, compensation, promotion, performance reviews and advancement.
Google denied the allegations, and the settlement did not constitute an admission of liability. The settlement included non-monetary measures related to pay equity and workplace transparency.
The settlement is separate from the Colorado lawsuit and does not resolve the former executive's claims.
Google Workers Raise Concerns Over Layoffs
The lawsuit also comes amid employee concerns over Google's workforce reductions and its growing investment in artificial intelligence.
More than 4,500 Google employees had signed a petition organised by the Alphabet Workers Union by July 2026, calling for stronger job-security protections. The petition was delivered to CEO Sundar Pichai's office on 16 July.
The workers called for measures including guaranteed severance, voluntary exit packages before mandatory layoffs and the option to take severance as paid leave.
The petition does not establish that Google's layoffs violate discrimination laws. It does, however, provide context for employee concerns over workforce reductions as the company continues to invest heavily in artificial intelligence.
What Happens Next in the Colorado Case
The lawsuit alleges that discrimination and retaliation played a role in the former executive's termination. Whether those allegations can be substantiated will be determined as the case proceeds.
The Colorado case remains separate from the other employment disputes involving Google. Those matters involve different employees, allegations and legal claims.
