Apple and Google have reached a new settlement agreement that would put to rest an antitrust class action lawsuit alleging they conspired to hold down salaries in Silicon Valley, according to Reuters.
Filed back in 2011 by employees working for the companies, which also include Adobe and Intel, the case alleged that the firms agreed not to poach staff from each other, preventing workers from getting better job offers.
Although the companies tried to settle the dispute for a reported $324.5 million last year, US District Court Judge Lucy Koh rebuked the deal after one of the named plaintiffs objected.
In rejecting that settlement deal, Koh said at the time the total arrangement fell "below the range of reasonableness," compared to the $20 million settlement deal that Lucasfilm, Intuit, and Pixar struck with tech employees in 2013, adding that proportionally based on that settlement the companies should shell out at least $380 million.
The report notes that the plaintiff, former Adobe employee Michael Devine would support the new agreement, though there is no word on the new settlement amount – nor was it included in the court filing.
The lawsuit originally claimed $3 billion in damages, but under antitrust law, that could potentially triple to $9 billion. The new settlement agreement is again subject to approval of Koh.