Google has reportedly rescinded offers it made to contract workers, impacting more than 2,000 people who had signed offers with Google-affiliated hiring agencies.
Many of those affected were let go without severance or financial compensation, according to sources. In a memo to hiring agencies, Google said it hoped to place candidates elsewhere.
Google employs over 130,000 contractors and temp workers, a workforce that outnumbers its roster of 123,000 full-time employees. While full-time team members receive high salaries and lavish perks, contractors often receive lower pay and fewer benefits.
For many contract workers, accepting a temporary job with Google meant leaving a full-time role. With that offer now rescinded after weeks of uncertainty and postponed start dates, those impacted are forced to hunt for a job during a difficult labor market.
Some say Google’s move has also complicated their ability to receive unemployment benefits since they left their previous jobs voluntarily.
In April, Google CEO Sundar Pichai told employees Google planned to slow hiring after experiencing a slump in 2020 ad sales. At the time, a spokesperson shared that the company intended to bring on people who had already received offers, though. It’s safe to say these sentiments didn’t apply to Google’s temp or contract workers.
“If these people were promised jobs at Alphabet, which is worth a trillion dollars, it seems like the company has a responsibility to take them on. It’s not like Google can’t afford it,” shared Ben Gwin, a data analyst for HCL America, a contracting agency for Google.
Like many tech companies, Google relies on temp and contract workers to round out its workforce. By doing so, the company can save money and forgo any long-term obligations.
The tactic came under fire in 2019 when Democratic senators urged Google to convert its temp and contract workers to full-time employees. The senators called on the company to stop its anti-worker practices and treat its workers equally.
