Google will not pay for parental or medical leave for laid-off employees
Google is facing opposition from some of its 12,000 laid-off employees. CNBC has learned that more than 100 former employees have formed a group called Fired on Leave, which is asking Google to pay them for all the leave they were entitled to take before the January 20 layoff announcement, including parental, medical, and sick leave. Although the company said in early 2022 that it was extending all parental leave to 18 weeks for full-time employees (24 weeks for biological parents), it told the laid-off workers that they would receive 16 weeks of severance pay plus two weeks for each additional year of service, including paid time off.
Members of the group say that this approach not only affected their plans for raising their children (including those who had recently given birth), but also undermined the health care system. Some former employees told CNBC that they lost access to Google’s internal medical service the day they received their layoff notices, depriving them of access to ongoing in-person treatment. Google offered virtual doctor visits, but otherwise asked the affected people to find alternative options.
In a statement to Engadget, Google reiterated its 16-week severance plan and noted that employees who are laid off will be entitled to regular pay and promotions for “60+ days” after receiving their layoff notice. Google claims that its conditions for people on leave “compare favorably” with those of other companies.
The affected people are demanding that CEO Sundar Pichai and other executives clarify the leave policy as soon as possible. Google is ready to finalize the terms of the dismissal on March 31.
Google is not the only one that creates potential problems for employees laid off during the holidays. Numerous tech giants have announced massive layoffs over the past few months as they struggle with the tough economic climate. However, the Google scandal highlights one of the problems these companies face: they used to promise extensive benefits to attract potential employees, but now they have to revise these benefits as they cut costs.
