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Internal docs: Google realized last year it illegally underpaid temp staff in many countries for years, but was slow to fix the issue fearing negative publicity

it's about the life that it allows workers to build for themselves outside of the workplace. But for years Google executives chose to deny their workers a better quality of life due to fears of “increased cost...& negative press attention.” https://twitter.com/... Caroline O'Donovan / @ceodonovan : wow! “Google may owe more than $100 million in back salaries over nine years of noncompliance in 16 countries with pay parity laws, according to the complaint.” https://www.nytimes.com/... Julia Carrie Wong / @juliacarriew : In dozens of countries, Google is required by law to match temp wages with full timer's. In 2019, Google execs realized that the data hadn't been updated since 2013. “Yikes!” But they didn't take action to fix it for more than 2 years. https://www.theguardian.com/ ... https://twitter.com/... Josh Eidelson / @josheidelson : “One Google manager expressed concern...that it classified the temporary roles in ways that artificially lowered its pay scale... massage therapists and lawyers fall under the same job family of ‘HR/Admin’ and they share the same basic pay rates” https://www.nytimes.com/... @daiwaka https://twitter.com/... Josh Eidelson / @josheidelson : “a Google compliance manager...wrote...that adjusting the rates for all of its temps was the correct move from a ‘compliance perspective.’ However, doing so might increase the likelihood that its current temporary staff members could ‘connect the dots’...” https://www.nytimes.com/... @gregbensinger : Google failed to pay thousands of contract workers properly in violation of local laws — rather than true them up, they hoped to sweep it under the rug. The misstep could cost them $100 million. Damning story from @daiwaka https://www.nytimes.com/... @zoeschiffer : “So Google landed on a fix that wouldn't call as much attention to the problem: It decided to apply the correct rates for only new hires starting in 2021 but held off on more expensive, wholesale changes.” https://twitter.com/... @alphabetworkers : Everyday, Google chooses to leave a majority of their workers in a vulnerable & unstable position. Why? Because when Google denies TVC's the benefits, wages & resulting quality of life they have earned—it protects their bottom line. https://www.nytimes.com/... Sam Levin / @samtlevin : Google has been illegally underpaying thousands of temporary workers in dozens of countries and delayed correcting the pay rates for more than two years as it attempted to cover up the problem, @juliacarriew reports: https://www.theguardian.com/ ... Julia Carrie Wong / @juliacarriew : NEW: Google has been illegally underpaying thousands of temporary workers across dozens of countries for years. Execs knew in May 2019 that they were failing to comply with labor laws and dragged feet on changes for 2+ years. https://www.theguardian.com/ ...

New York Times Daisuke Wakabayashi

Discussion

  • @daiwaka Daisuke Wakabayashi on x
    NEW: Last year, Google discovered that its pay rates for temps were out of date. Instead of fixing it immediately, Google chose a half measure in the hopes of avoiding embarrassment and negative attention. Our story with company emails/docs https://www.nytimes.com/...
  • @juliacarriew Julia Carrie Wong on x
    Google's underpayments are significant. Some temps in the UK were paid £14.17 an hour instead of the £18.27 they should have made. Imagine getting shortchanged like that by a trillion dollar company. https://www.theguardian.com/ ... https://twitter.com/...
  • @alphabetworkers @alphabetworkers on x
    Fair pay isn't just about the numbers—it's about the life that it allows workers to build for themselves outside of the workplace. But for years Google executives chose to deny their workers a better quality of life due to fears of “increased cost...& negative press attention.” h…
  • @kateconger O...K on x
    Google underpaid temps for years, possibly violating labor law. via @daiwaka https://www.nytimes.com/...
  • @ceodonovan Caroline O'Donovan on x
    wow! “Google may owe more than $100 million in back salaries over nine years of noncompliance in 16 countries with pay parity laws, according to the complaint.” https://www.nytimes.com/...
  • @juliacarriew Julia Carrie Wong on x
    In dozens of countries, Google is required by law to match temp wages with full timer's. In 2019, Google execs realized that the data hadn't been updated since 2013. “Yikes!” But they didn't take action to fix it for more than 2 years. https://www.theguardian.com/ ... https://twi…
  • @josheidelson Josh Eidelson on x
    “One Google manager expressed concern...that it classified the temporary roles in ways that artificially lowered its pay scale... massage therapists and lawyers fall under the same job family of ‘HR/Admin’ and they share the same basic pay rates” https://www.nytimes.com/... @daiw…
  • @josheidelson Josh Eidelson on x
    “a Google compliance manager...wrote...that adjusting the rates for all of its temps was the correct move from a ‘compliance perspective.’ However, doing so might increase the likelihood that its current temporary staff members could ‘connect the dots’...” https://www.nytimes.com…
  • @gregbensinger @gregbensinger on x
    Google failed to pay thousands of contract workers properly in violation of local laws — rather than true them up, they hoped to sweep it under the rug. The misstep could cost them $100 million. Damning story from @daiwaka https://www.nytimes.com/...
  • @zoeschiffer @zoeschiffer on x
    “So Google landed on a fix that wouldn't call as much attention to the problem: It decided to apply the correct rates for only new hires starting in 2021 but held off on more expensive, wholesale changes.” https://twitter.com/...
  • @alphabetworkers @alphabetworkers on x
    Everyday, Google chooses to leave a majority of their workers in a vulnerable & unstable position. Why? Because when Google denies TVC's the benefits, wages & resulting quality of life they have earned—it protects their bottom line. https://www.nytimes.com/...
  • @samtlevin Sam Levin on x
    Google has been illegally underpaying thousands of temporary workers in dozens of countries and delayed correcting the pay rates for more than two years as it attempted to cover up the problem, @juliacarriew reports: https://www.theguardian.com/ ...
  • @juliacarriew Julia Carrie Wong on x
    NEW: Google has been illegally underpaying thousands of temporary workers across dozens of countries for years. Execs knew in May 2019 that they were failing to comply with labor laws and dragged feet on changes for 2+ years. https://www.theguardian.com/ ...