There are lots of reasons the involvement of lawyers could slow things down. That doesn't mean that Google was behaving illegally.

I am sure they'll be moved to a different project and then subsequently fired for "performance reasons".

That is also against the law. From https://www.eeoc.gov/laws/types/retaliation.cfm

> For example, depending on the facts, it could be retaliation if an employer acts because of the employee's EEO activity to:

> * transfer the employee to a less desirable position;

Thank goodness for the labor movement.

The problem with that, like so many laws, is that you have to prove motive for the law to work. I'm sure the previous commenter is not so naive as to think companies give a formal, written demotion stating that their EEO activity was the reason.

Not anymore you don’t. It’s easy nowadays to conceal motive through indirection.