[ad_1]
Google said it would terminate its obligation to handle claims of sexual harassment of employees in a private arbitration, a decision made a week after thousands of workers withdrew corporate offices around the world to protest the treatment of their workplace problems.
In a memo Thursday, CEO Sundar Pichai told staff that Google would also include more detailed information on sexual harassment complaints in regular reports and provide more services to employees of concern, including advice and assistance. at the quarry.
the
Alphabet
Inc.
GOOGL -1.03%
The unit is facing a rising tide of activist employees who are organizing to demand changes in the way the company conducts its business. The internet giant had said earlier this year that it would not renew a contract backing the US Department of Defense's UAV targeting program after hundreds of Google workers signed a petition handing over in question the project's ethics.
The company did not give up the search for a censored search engine aimed at Chinese users, an additional source of frustration among employees.
The Harassment Claim Policy Change is a win for the organizers of the global protest, in which employees huddled in front of Google's Singapore offices in San Francisco chanting "Time's Up!" And waving placards stating that "workers' rights are women's rights. "
The organizers of the protest issued a letter demanding five changes, including the end of forced arbitration, a revised process for handling sexual harassment complaints and greater transparency of reports. In its Thursday amendments, Google did not respond to two requests: that the company pledges to end unequal pay for women and minorities; and that the company's Diversity Officer reports directly to the CEO.
Representatives of the walkout group did not respond to requests for comments.
The protest took place after the New York Times reported that Google had protected three senior executives over the past decade after they were charged with sexual misconduct, one of whom had received an exit package of 90 millions of dollars in 2014. Google declined to comment on the details of the story of the Times. .
Google follows technological peers as
Microsoft
Corp.
and Uber Technologies Inc. for choosing to end forced arbitration, a widespread but controversial practice that prevents US workers from suing their employers in open court. Companies prefer arbitration for sexual harassment complaints because this tends to lead to faster settlements at a lower cost than class actions and can prevent companies from bad publicity.
According to a study conducted in 2017 by a professor from Cornell University and sponsored by the Economic Policy Institute, a left-wing think tank in the private sector, the percentage of non-union private sector employees covered by the Compulsory arbitration clauses more than doubled since the early 2000s. Washington DC
An analysis by the Wall Street Journal earlier this year revealed that a small number of sexual harassment complaints resulted in arbitration.
In many cases, workers drop out because they can not get a lawyer. Plaintiffs' lawyers say they are reluctant to represent arbitration clients on contingency fees, as settlements and potential payments are generally lower than in court.
In an announcement describing changes to its policy, Google said it discovered that alcohol was involved in about one in five harassment complaints. The company said it would encourage executives to limit the excessive consumption of alcohol during its events.
The company also announced that it will reduce performance ratings for all employees who do not complete the sexual harassment training, including senior managers.
Write to Douglas MacMillan at [email protected]
Source link
