Google won’t pay sick leave during layoffs, angering employees

Would you believe that Google’s mass layoffs have continued since January? Google’s reports of mishandling of the largest layoff streak in history are causing outrage among employees, and they do everything from quitting their jobs to sending angry letters to management.

First, Google’s European employees are now being laid off because of the January announcement. More than 200 workers were fired from the company’s Zurich, Switzerland branch this week, Reuters reports. Employees of this office came out for the second time to protest the move and even offered to cut wages or reduce working hours to prevent job cuts. Google’s layoffs appear to have been driven by a desire to calm the stock market, so it’s no wonder these proposals fell on deaf ears.

Many of the Swiss workers who left in protest are members of the Syndicom IT trade union, and a union spokesman told Reuters: “Our members at Google Zurich and all the employees who have joined the strike are showing solidarity with those who have been laid off. They are worried. the non-transparent nature of the layoffs and are particularly disappointed that Google is laying off employees at a time when the company is making billions in annual profits.”

Current and former employees believe that Google mistreats employees who were on sick or parental leave during layoffs. CNBC reports that Google has decided not to honor pre-approved leave for laid-off employees. Some Google employees have formed a group called “Vacationers”that is trying to force Google to meet previously agreed deadlines for employees going through major life changes.

Getting Google to honor its previous vacation agreements isn’t just about paying employees when they have medical or family problems; it is also about ongoing medical care when they need it most. As part of Google’s (apparently thwarted) plan to offer employees every conceivable perk, the company has healthcare facilities that many employees use.

While employee severance pay may include a few more months of health insurance, layoffs mean instant loss of access to Google objects. If the attending physician of a fired Google employee works there, that person is out of luck, and some employees told CNBC they lost access to their doctors as soon as the termination email arrived. Employees who are on vacation also have something to do. One former Google employee, Kate Howells, said that Google released her from her hospital bed shortly after giving birth. She worked for the company for nine years.

The Holiday Fired group notes that Google does not live up to the image it is promoting in the world, saying, “Google is currently showing its commitment to the workplace and its involvement in Women’s History Month through various product and service campaigns. We agree with you: it is very important to be aware of the hardships that still disproportionately affect women in the workplace.”

Another group of Google employees published an open letter to CEO Sundar Pichai asking the company to continue hiring people during sick leave, freeze new hires during the layoff process, and prioritize future rehiring of laid-off employees. The letter also asks Google to ensure that the layoffs do not discriminate against anyone and that the company protect employees facing humanitarian crises by not firing employees with visas from Ukraine or Russia. So far, more than 1,300 Google employees have signed the letter.