45 Google employees allege they were retaliated against for complaining to HR in internal document


Dozens of Google employees allege they were retaliated against after filing complaints with human resources, with many of the cases being complaints of sexual harassment or discrimination.
That's according to an internal document containing 45 claims of retaliation reported on Monday by Recode, which wrote that the employees allege they were "demoted, pushed out, or placed on less desirable projects" after filing complaints with HR. This document was reportedly collected around the time of a sit-in in April to protest alleged retaliation at the company, with harassment or discrimination being the subject of the complaint in 28 cases.
One employee in the document reportedly writes that they received a "veiled threat" from HR suggesting their immigration status might be at risk should they continue to pursue their complaint about "something unethical happening at Google," Recode reports.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
This report comes after two Google employees who organized a walkout in protest of the company's handling of sexual harassment complaints alleged they faced retaliation as a result. Organizer Claire Stapleton said in July that after the walkout, "my manager started ignoring me, my work was given to other people, and I was told to go on medical leave, even though I'm not sick." She wrote she ultimately decided to resign from the company "after the heads of my department branded me with a kind of scarlet letter that makes it difficult to do my job or find another one."
A Google spokesperson would not comment on this document specifically but told Recode that "reporting misconduct takes courage and we want to provide care and support to people who raise concerns." The spokesperson also said that "all instances of inappropriate conduct reported to us are investigated rigorously."
While the details of each complaint vary, one employee familiar with the document told Vox, "Everybody's cases are different — and everybody's are horrifying." Read the full report at Recode.
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Brendan worked as a culture writer at The Week from 2018 to 2023, covering the entertainment industry, including film reviews, television recaps, awards season, the box office, major movie franchises and Hollywood gossip. He has written about film and television for outlets including Bloody Disgusting, Showbiz Cheat Sheet, Heavy and The Celebrity Cafe.
-
How generative AI is changing the way we write and speak
In The Spotlight ChatGPT and other large language model tools are quietly influencing which words we use
-
How long can Nato keep Donald Trump happy?
Today's Big Question Military alliance pulls out all the stops to woo US president on his peacemaker victory lap
-
Easy Money: the Charles Ponzi Story – an 'enlightening' podcast
The Week Recommends Apple Original podcast explores the 'fascinating' tale of the man who gave the investment scam its name
-
Economists fear US inflation data less reliable
speed read The Labor Department is collecting less data for its consumer price index due to staffing shortages
-
Crypto firm Coinbase hacked, faces SEC scrutiny
Speed Read The Securities and Exchange Commission has also been investigating whether Coinbase misstated its user numbers in past disclosures
-
Starbucks baristas strike over dress code
speed read The new uniform 'puts the burden on baristas' to buy new clothes, said a Starbucks Workers United union delegate
-
Warren Buffet announces surprise retirement
speed read At the annual meeting of Berkshire Hathaway, the billionaire investor named Vice Chairman Greg Abel his replacement
-
Trump calls Amazon's Bezos over tariff display
Speed Read The president was not happy with reports that Amazon would list the added cost from tariffs alongside product prices
-
Markets notch worst quarter in years as new tariffs loom
Speed Read The S&P 500 is on track for its worst month since 2022 as investors brace for Trump's tariffs
-
Tesla Cybertrucks recalled over dislodging panels
Speed Read Almost every Cybertruck in the US has been recalled over a stainless steel panel that could fall off
-
Crafting emporium Joann is going out of business
Speed Read The 82-year-old fabric and crafts store will be closing all 800 of its stores