Google waives paid maternity and sick leave for employees who are laid off. In response, over 100 former employees formed the “Retrenchment on Leave” group. As a result, they are requesting that the US company demonstrate good faith and honor all authorized leaves until January 20, 2023.
According to CNBC, Google refuses to pay maternity and sick leave to all terminated employees. In response, over 100 former company employees formed a group called “Retrenchment on Leave.” They are requesting that management compensate them for the weeks and months they were permitted to work prior to the layoff announcement in January. The group has already sent three letters to executives, including CEO Sundar Pichai and Human Resources Director Fiona Cicconi, but has received no response.
Members of the group include those who have been on maternity leave, sick leave, or personal leave. Meanwhile, the layoffs follow Google’s announcement last year of increased parental leave for full-time employees.
However, Alphabet’s parent company cut the most costs in nearly two decades. To deal with slower business growth, the company announced in January that it would cut 12,000 jobs, or about 6% of its workforce.
Sundar Pichai stated that for every year of service at Google, employees in the United States will receive an additional 16 weeks of pay and a two-week severance package. The severance pay will also include paid holidays, according to the company. Employees on sick leave urge the CEO and other executives to clarify the situation as soon as possible due to an impending deadline: formal severance regulations are expected by March 31.
Former Google employees claimed that their access to doctors and specialists through Google’s “One Medical” program was terminated on the same day they were laid off. As proof, the former Google software engineer claimed he lost contact with his doctor. Some other ex-employees stated that they were offered the opportunity to continue seeing their doctor, but only in practice…and insisted on finding an alternative.
Google has been asked to try to fulfill their parental leave and/or sick leave obligations for all leave authorized beginning January 20, 2023. Former Google employees who attempted to contact the company said they had lost access to the company’s internal systems and that it could happen again. Fill out the form only in a temporary portal.
