A group of tech companies – including Google Inc., Intel Corp. and Adobe Systems, Inc. – have settled antitrust claims by a class of software engineers alleging that the tech companies entered into agreements not to poach each other's employees. According to the software engineers, the alleged conduct had the effect of depressing salaries by 10-15 percent, causing approximately $3 billion in damages. The defendants dispute any wrongdoing. The terms of the settlement have not been announced yet, but the parties are expected to file the settlement agreement with the court on May 27, 2014.
In addition, eBay Inc. reached settlements with the Department of Justice and the State of California regarding an alleged agreement between eBay and Intuit, Inc., not to recruit each other's employees. If approved, the DOJ settlement will prohibit eBay from entering into or maintaining anticompetitive agreements relating to employee hiring and retention for a period of five years. Pursuant to the California settlement, eBay will pay $3.75 million, a portion of which will compensate employees and prospective employees of eBay and Intuit.
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