The US government has filed a lawsuit against Google, alleging that the technology company failed to reinstate a former employee to his previous role or offer him a comparable position after he returned from a year of military service.
The complaint, filed in a federal court in Manhattan on 29 October, centres on Mark Davisson, a former Google key account executive who served as a US Army reservist. The lawsuit alleges that the company violated the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act (USERRA), a 1994 federal law that protects the employment rights of military personnel returning to civilian jobs.
According to the complaint, Davisson spent around two-and-a-half years managing cloud services accounts for clients including asset manager BlackRock and hedge fund Bridgewater Associates before taking military leave. He also managed Google’s US business involving former financial services firm Credit Suisse.
When Davisson returned from military service in May 2023, Google allegedly did not restore his customer accounts or assign him comparable responsibilities. Although his salary and job title remained unchanged, the complaint claims that the reassignment limited his professional responsibilities and career advancement.
In January 2024, he was moved to a cloud solutions position that also did not involve managing customer accounts. Seven months later, Google terminated his employment as part of a broader workforce reduction, following another period of military leave, the lawsuit alleges.
Google has disputed the claims, stating that it takes compliance with employment laws, including USERRA, seriously and investigates allegations of workplace misconduct.
The lawsuit, brought by the civil rights unit of the US Attorney’s Office in Manhattan, seeks compensation for Davisson’s lost wages and benefits, along with additional damages. It also asks the court to require Google to strengthen its workplace protections, including through improved USERRA training.
The case brings attention to the employment protections available to military reservists in the US, particularly their right to return to civilian employment without losing the position or career opportunities they held before being called to active duty.
