For years, Oracle has been heralded as a leader in the technology sector. But a lawsuit filed by the Department of Labor claims the tech giant has major problems with gender and racial discrimination. The outcome of the suit could have lasting consequences for employers in New York and across the United States.

The lawsuit, filed in 2017, raises a series of troubling allegations against Oracle. The DOL claims a series of policies at the company promote discriminatory wages for black, female and Asian workers. In a recent update to the original complaint, the department alleges that the discrimination begins in the hiring process. Recruitment from colleges and universities results in unusually low numbers of black and females hires. While the number of Asian hires is high, the DOL alleges that many of those workers are foreign-born and require a work visa through Oracle to stay in the country. That puts tremendous leverage on the worker to settle for unfair wages or face removal from the United States.

The lawsuit further alleges that Oracle discriminates by using prior wages to determine an employee’s pay scale. Ultimately, the DOL wants to force the cancellation of all contracts between Oracle and the federal government. The DOL believes these contracts are worth more than $100 million per month to Oracle.

Any worker who has been a victim of gender or racial discrimination within the workplace may benefit from discussing their situation with an experienced attorney. Legal counsel could help by investigating the allegations and eventually filing a lawsuit for compensation on behalf of the worker.