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Google Fires Employee Behind Controversial Diversity Memo

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Re: Google Fires Employee Behind Controversial Diversity Memo

#25
Good. I get that HN is not into this, but this employee stated, bluntly, that they don't believe many of their colleagues should be there because of their sex. Every peer review, every no-hire, every interaction, is and should be suspect.

Happy where I am now, but future interviews will include me asking what management would do about this, and termination is the only correct answer. This is textbook hostile environment. Anyone saying otherwise should look hard at why they value this person's desire to speak without consequence over their colleague's right to a workplace where they're not judged by their sex, race, sexual orientation, or any other innate attribute irrelevant to their job performance.

Re: Google Fires Employee Behind Controversial Diversity Memo

#26
post #5

Not a lawyer, but will he have a case to sue for wrongful termination? I guess without seeing the employee contract and Code of Conduct, it is hard to say.

California is an At-Will state. Unless he is a protected class, he can be fired for any reason or no reason.

For basically all intents and purposes, every state the US is an at-will state, with very narrow exceptions in a few states few tech people work in.

Re: Google Fires Employee Behind Controversial Diversity Memo

#29
There is no reason for an employee to be concerned about who their employer hires as long as said companies are operating within the framework of law. This is none of your business literally.

Google is currently under investigation for pay disparity and are obliged to review everything and ensure there is no sexism at play. If you don't like this surely you should challenge the laws that demand this of Google.

Sending a memo on diversity or any political issue is an aggressive political action in the workplace that can only have one outcome. The context for debates and action about merit and diversity is in the legal democratic space not the office.

This individual is not a victim of free speech but of indiscretion.

Re: Google Fires Employee Behind Controversial Diversity Memo

#30
Yep, after reading the public response provided by Google's new Vice President of Diversity, Integrity & Governance (https://gizmodo.com/exclusive-heres-the-full-10-page-anti-di...) I was pretty sure this was all that was left.

Regardless of whether you agreed with the letter or not, it's 100% correct in asserting that it's super difficult to have productive, rational conversations about the issue of diversity. Google just reinforced that fact.

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