Google has settled a lawsuit brought by a former employee who alleged he was unlawfully fired after taking medical leave for bipolar disorder, according to California federal court filings.

Case Dismissed Following Settlement

U.S. District Judge Charles R. Breyer dismissed the case on Tuesday after both Google and plaintiff Steven Newman informed the court that their settlement agreement, reached in June, had been fulfilled.

The terms of the settlement were not immediately available.

Newman, a former employee in Google’s gSuite unit, initially filed suit in May 2022, accusing the company of disability discrimination, retaliation, and failure to accommodate under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and California’s Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA).

Bipolar Diagnosis Led to Administrative Leave and Firing

According to Newman’s complaint, he suffered a manic episode in July 2020, during which he sent unusual emails to colleagues, including offers to buy gSuite for billions of dollars. Shortly after, his wife informed Google of his bipolar diagnosis, and he was placed on short-term disability leave.

Newman sought to return to work in January 2021 with medical clearance, but Google instead placed him on administrative leave pending an internal investigation. In April 2021, the company terminated him, citing violations of its code of conduct related to alleged threats against coworkers.

Newman maintained that his emails contained no genuine threats and that one message flagged by Google was simply him venting frustration about a colleague in Canada.

Google Defended Firing as a Workplace Safety Measure

In its April motion for summary judgment, Google argued that Newman's termination was justified because some of his emails included violent threats against a former supervisor, detailing specific plans and workarounds. The company contended that while Newman attributed the emails to frustration and poor mental health, it was under no obligation to assume the threats wouldn’t materialize.

The court had been set to rule on Google’s motion, but all hearings were canceled after the parties reached a resolution in June during a settlement conference with U.S. Magistrate Judge Kandis A. Westmore.

Legal Teams Remain Silent on Resolution

Neither Google nor Newman's legal representatives immediately responded to requests for comment on Wednesday.

Case Information

• Plaintiff: Steven Newman, represented by Yosef Peretz of Peretz & Associates
• Defendant: Google LLC, represented by Brian Johnsrud of Duane Morris LLP
• Case: Newman v. Google LLC
• Court: U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California (Case No. 3:22-cv-02799)