NEW YORK: Apple Inc and Google Inc try to settle hiring case to avoid hiring after a judge concluded their first proposal didn’t offer enough money for affected workers.
The agreement, whose terms weren’t disclosed in a court filing Jan. 13, again hinges on the approval of U.S. District Judge Lucy H. Koh in San Jose, California, who in August rejected the initial $324.5 million accord as too small.
Koh said the companies, which also include Adobe Systems Inc. (ADBE:US) and Intel Corp., should pay at least $380 million given “ample evidence” of antitrust violations that might result in damages of more than $9 billion if the case went to trial.
The companies resumed negotiations with the workers while also appealing Koh’s ruling.
Kelly Dermody, a lawyer for the workers, and Chuck Mulloy, a spokesman for Santa Clara, California-based Intel, each confirmed the new settlement, declining to discuss details. Kristin Huguet, a spokeswoman for Cupertino, California-based Apple, declined to comment.
One of the objections to the original settlement was filed by a former Adobe employee, whose lawyer, Daniel Girard, argued that while the proposed average payout was $3,572, if they won at trial they could have each received as much as $141,331.
