Google is facing pushback from some of its 12,000 laid-off employees. CNBC has learned that more than 100 former employees formed a “layoff on leave” group to ask Google to pay for the full leaves they were approved to take before the January 20 layoff announcement, including parental, medical and caregiver leave. While the company said in early 2022 that it would extend all parental leave to 18 weeks for full-time staff (24 weeks for birth parents), it told laid off employees they would receive 16 weeks of severance pay plus two weeks for each additional year of work, including paid time off.
Group members say the approach has not only affected their parenting plans (including those who had recently given birth), but has also disrupted medical care. Some former workers tell CNBC they lost access to Google’s in-house healthcare the day they received their layoff notices, denying them access to ongoing in-person treatment. Google has offered virtual medical appointments, but has asked affected people to look for alternatives.
In a statement to Engadget, Google iterated on its 16-week severance plan, noting that outgoing employees would be eligible for regular salary and stock for their “60 days or more” notice period. Google claims that its accommodations for licensed individuals compare “favorably” with those of other companies.
The people affected are demanding that CEO Sundar Pichai and other managers quickly clarify the furlough policy. Google is set to finalize the indemnity terms as early as March 31.
Google is far from alone in creating potential problems for workers laid off while on leave. Numerous tech giants have announced mass layoffs in recent months as they grapple with a tough economy. However, the uproar at Google highlights one of the problems these companies face: They previously promised extensive benefits to attract potential hires, but now they have to rethink those benefits as they cut costs.
