Regulator lawsuit accuses Oracle of favoring white male workers

The U.S. Department of Labor filed a suit against Oracle on Wednesday, claiming the company systematically pays white male workers more than their counterparts in comparable positions.

The suit also alleges that the software giant unfairly favors Asian applicants when hiring for certain technical roles.

The allegations follow a nearly two-year investigation into employment practices at the company's Redwood Shores, California, headquarters. During that time, the agency claims that Oracle repeatedly refused to provide employee records.

The agency also said it spent nearly a year trying to resolve the matter with the company before filing suit.

Oracle responded with a strongly worded statement, calling the suit "politically motivated, based on false allegations and wholly without merit."

"Oracle values diversity and inclusion, and is a responsible equal opportunity and affirmative action employer," the statement continued. "Our hiring and pay decisions are non-discriminatory and made based on legitimate business factors including experience and merit."

The move is the latest in a spate of tech company discrimination suits from the Labor Department as Silicon Valley faces mounting pressure to diversify its disproportionately white male workforce.

The department also filed suit against Google last week for refusing to provide it with equal-opportunity worker data as part of a routine audit. Last fall, it sued data mining firm Palantir for allegedly discriminating against Asian job candidates.