Google is giving a portion of its workforce the opportunity to voluntarily leave the company with a severance package, targeting those who may not be “deeply committed” to their roles.
SFGATE reports that Google has announced a “voluntary exit program” for employees within its Platforms and Devices division based in the United States. Rick Osterloh, senior vice president at Google, informed workers late last week that they would be eligible for the program, which includes severance pay.
The announcement comes as good news for the Alphabet Workers Union, which has been circulating a petition urging Google to offer buyouts before resorting to layoffs. The union sees this as a step in the right direction, although they believe there is still more work to be done.
Google spokesperson Patrick Seybold confirmed the existence of the program to SFGATE but did not provide details on whether it was inspired by the union’s demands or if other teams would receive the same offer. The Platforms and Devices team, created last year, is responsible for key Google products such as Pixel phones, Android, Chrome, Photos, and Google One.
While the specifics of the severance package have not been disclosed, previous layoffs at Google in January 2023 saw affected employees who signed the severance deal receive six months of health care and at least 16 weeks of their salaries.
The voluntary exit program is being presented as an effort to ensure that Google’s workforce is fully committed to their roles and the company’s mission. Osterloh’s statement, as provided by Seybold, emphasized the importance of having everyone “deeply committed to our mission and focused on building great products, with speed and efficiency.”
The announcement comes amidst ongoing concerns among Google employees about potential future layoffs, as the company has already laid off more than 1,000 workers in January 2022 and an additional 12,000 in January 2023. With performance reviews underway and Google’s chief financial officer discussing cost cuts, workers fear that more cuts may be on the horizon.
Read more at SFGate here.
Lucas Nolan is a reporter for Breitbart News covering issues of free speech and online censorship.
