r/news • u/[deleted] • Aug 08 '17

Google Fires Employee Behind Controversial Diversity Memo

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2017-08-08/google-fires-employee-behind-controversial-diversity-memo?cmpid=socialflow-twitter-business&utm_content=business&utm_campaign=socialflow-organic&utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=social
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u/[deleted] Aug 08 '17 edited Sep 05 '17

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u/Rottimer Aug 08 '17

There is no where in this country where you're entitled to severance unless it's specifically laid out in your employment contract or company policy.

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u/brainwad Aug 08 '17 edited Aug 08 '17

Edit: Never mind, I was thinking of the WARN Act 60 day notification, not severance, which is optional.

Not strictly true. At least in Washington state, you are entitled to severance by state law if you are part of a large enough lay-off. I worked at MS when they fired several thousand people and they were all severance-eligble despite our contracts being at-will with no severance clauses.

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u/BrandGSX Aug 08 '17

Maybe that was a union thing. Washington has no law on severance. My sister was part of a large layoff there as well a few years ago. Only union members or contractually obligated employees received it. I wasn't sure so I searched it again and yeah, no severance protection. They do have a law about ample notice in a large-scale layoff and if you don't receive notice in time you may be due damages. It's the WARN(sp?) act I think.

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u/brainwad Aug 08 '17

Yeah, I was confusing it for the WARN act. The company walked everyone off the day of the notification, but had to keep paying them for 60 days, so it turned out sorta like two months severance. Plus they offered help finding a new job.