With Google systems helping government departments, the company is technically a federal contractor. This means the tech firm legally has to share compliance data in order to prove it operates in accordance with equal employment laws. Google, however, claims that sharing such information is a breach of privacy and could "reveal confidential data".

With the tech company claiming to have shared "hundreds of thousands" of other reports with the government, its reluctance to let the OFCCP see its employee's salaries is surprising. However, Google's record regarding employee diversity and equal opportunities isn't exactly stellar.

A recent employment audit also revealed troubling information about tech company Palantir, which was accused of using an algorithm that discriminated against Asian applicants.

If Google continues to refuse to cooperate, the OFCCB has threatened to ask the court to cancel the company's current government contracts and prevent it from signing any new ones.