Last year in January, Google announced it would lay off 6% of its total workforce, leading to reports of abrupt and insensitive dismissals, even for those on maternity or medical leave. Now, over 1,400 Google employees have sent an open letter to Google CEO Sundar Pichai, urging for better handling of the layoffs and for the company to "not be evil."
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The employees' letter to Pichai stresses the impact of Google's decision to reduce its workforce globally, arguing that the voices of workers have not been adequately considered.
In a letter addressed to Sundar Pichai, a group of Alphabet employees have listed five public commitments that they are demanding from the company's CEO. These demands come amid concerns regarding layoffs and employee treatment.
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The first commitment demands a freeze on new hires during the layoff process, with voluntary redundancies and voluntary working time reduction being sought before compulsory layoffs. The employees also request the option for employee 'swaps' to further avoid compulsory redundancies.
The second commitment calls for priority rehire for any Alphabet employees that have recently been laid off. The employees also ask for internal transfer options to be prioritized and for fair severance packages to be agreed upon.
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The third commitment focuses on protecting co-workers from countries experiencing active conflicts or humanitarian crises, such as Ukraine and Russia. The employees request that employment is not terminated when it could adversely affect visas and workers are required to return to unsafe or unstable countries. They also ask for extra support to be provided to these workers and those at risk of losing their residence permits.
The fourth commitment emphasizes respecting scheduled leaves, including maternity, baby bonding, carer's and bereavement, and not giving notice until the leave is finished.
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Finally, the fifth commitment demands that there be no discriminatory effects based on sex, gender identity, gender expression, age, sexual orientation, racial or ethnic identity, caste, veteran status, religion, and disability.
The letter concludes with a paragraph asking Sundar Pichai to 'not be evil'.
Meanwhile, a group called 'Laid off on Leave' has been formed, with over 100 laid-off employees asking Google to pay them for their pre-approved weeks and months of maternity or medical leave before the layoffs.
The group has sent letters to Google executives, including Pichai and Chief People Officer Fiona Cicconi, on three separate occasions but are yet to receive a response.
