Apple, Google, Intel, and Adobe Reach New Deal to Settle Anti-Poaching Lawsuit

Apple, Google, Intel, and Adobe have agreed to a new settlement to end a class action lawsuit that accused the companies of conspiring to prevent the poaching of each other's employees, reports Reuters.

Plaintiffs accused Apple, Google, Intel Corp and Adobe Systems Inc in their 2011 lawsuit of limiting job mobility and, as a result, keeping a lid on salaries. The case has been closely watched because of the possibility of big damages being awarded and for the opportunity to peek into the world of some of America's elite tech firms.

After a plaintiff objected, a previous settlement of $324.5 million was rejected by U.S. District Judge Lucy Koh as being too low. Reportedly, that plaintiff will not object to the new settlement deal; however, his attorney would not reveal the amount of the new settlement and it was not in the court filing.


When rejecting the first deal, Koh referred to a 2013 settlement involving Disney and Intuit and noted that to match that settlement the deal involving Apple "would need to total at least $380 million."

The plaintiffs will file a detailed explanation of the deal "imminently" after which Koh will decide whether or not to accept it.

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