Employees at Alphabet, Google’s parent company, have reported that the company isn’t providing a safe working environment for those who face harassment. In an open letter signed by more than 500 employees, the workers have said they deserve the right to work in a place that is free from abusers.
Emi Nietfeld used to work at Google as a Software Engineer. She confirmed that she was harassed and that no action was taken to punish the abuser. “My harasser still sat next to me. My manager told me H.R. wouldn’t even make him change his desk, let alone work from home or go on leave.” Emi made this statement in the New York Times.
This incident has been going on at Alphabet where the company protects the abuser instead of protecting the person who was harassed. Usually, the person who reports harassment is forced to bear the burden. He or she ends up resigning from the company while their abuser remains or receives a reward for the evil behaviour.
The letter also confirms Andy Rubin, the creator of Android mobile software, was awarded a $90 million exit package after a woman accused him of coercing her into performing oral sex. Another case was that of Amit Singhal, a former search executive. He was awarded $35 million when he was forced to resign after a sexual assault investigation.
Two of the demands laid out by the workers at alphabet reads:
- Google should strip harassers of their direct reports, ensuring that “no harasser should manage or lead a team.”
- The company should force harassers to change teams if the claims are verified so employees don’t have to work alongside their harasser.
One of the requests from the walkout organisers was an end to the forced arbitration clause in Google contracts. While Google removed the clause for employees, it did not remove it for contractors or workers at other Alphabet companies. The letter challenges this removal.
“Alphabet has not changed, and did not meet any of the Google Walkout demands (temps, vendors, contractors, and workers from Alphabet companies other than Google are still forced into arbitration),” the letter states. “We’ve already raised these issues before. The Google Walkout demands are still waiting to be met!”
The names of the 1295 Alphabet workers (and counting) who signed the open letter and have chosen to make their support public have been published.
