Apple, Google & others settle with 64,000 workers in anti-poaching lawsuit for $324M

Reuters reports today that Apple, Google, Adobe, and Intel have settled in the long running antitrust lawsuit filed by 64,000 employees alleging the companies entered into agreements to not hire employees from one another. Apple previously settled out of court in a lawsuit brought on by the Department of Justice for the same practices, but the class-action suit from employees settled today was given the go ahead last year.

Four major tech companies including Apple and Google have agreed to settle a large antitrust lawsuit over no-hire agreements in Silicon Valley, according to a court filing on Thursday.

The lawsuits have exposed many emails between Steve Jobs, Google executives and others showing the companies regularly discussed agreements in place to prevent hires from the other companies.

“This is an excellent resolution of the case that will benefit class members. We look forward to presenting it to the Court and making the terms available,” stated Dermody, Co-Lead Counsel for the Plaintiff Class.

The case was slated to go to trial on May 22nd after Judge Lucy Koh ruled in October that the concerns of the conspiracy were overarching enough to be reasonably tried as a class-action lawsuit.