Google has announced that the company will layoff 12,000 employees globally. Google workers in the US who are affected have already received an email, while impacted staff elsewhere will be informed soon. In a letter to employees, Google CEO Sundar Pichai said that the company took a “rigorous review across product areas” to ensure that current roles are aligned with the company’s highest priorities. It remains unclear which department is most affected by the latest round of mass layoffs. The letter by Pichai also highlights that the company will ensure a smooth “transition” for the impacted workers. Google will pay employees during the full notification period (minimum 60 days). It says that it would offer a severance package starting at 16 weeks’ salary plus two weeks for every additional year at Google. Entitled workers will also receive bonuses and healthcare benefits as per their contracts. On the other hand, Google workers outside the US will receive a severance package as per their contracts and local guidelines.
Pichai adds that Google will organise a town hall with employees on Monday. His letter reads, “As an almost 25-year-old company, we’re bound to go through difficult economic cycles. These are important moments to sharpen our focus, reengineer our cost base, and direct our talent and capital to our highest priorities.”
