Google Changes Policies in Response to #MeToo Walkout

Author: Robert S. Teachout, XpertHR Legal Editor

November 15, 2018

Google recently announced significant changes to its sexual harassment policies. The announcement came in response to a one-day walkout by employees around the world following a New York Times report that revealed Google had made payments at termination to employees accused of sexual harassment, including providing a $90 million exit package to an executive accused of sexual assault.

Google released an announcement detailing the changes it will make, including:

  • Making arbitration optional for individual sexual harassment and sexual assault claims. (Google states that it has never required confidentiality in the arbitration process.)
  • Creating a new sexual harassment section in its annual investigations report to provide more transparency and details about sexual harassment investigations and outcomes, including trends, disciplinary actions taken and percentages of substantiated or partially substantiated claims.
  • Improving the sexual harassment reporting process by:
    • Creating one dedicated reporting site and including live support;
    • Permitting a complainant to be accompanied by a support person throughout the process; and
    • Offering extra care and resources to employees during and after the process, including extended counseling and career support; and
  • Mandating annual anti-sexual harassment training, up from once every two years, and vowing to downgrade performance rankings for employees who fail to complete the training.

"Going forward, we will provide more transparency on how we handle concerns. We'll give better support and care to the people who raise them," said Google CEO Sundar Pichai in an email to employees. "And we will double down on our commitment to be a representative, equitable and respectful workplace."

Over 17,000 Google employees engaged in the worldwide walkout after the New York Times reported that the company had paid Android creator Andy Rubin a $90 million exit package in 2014, despite a claim that he pressured an employee into a sexual relationship in 2013. The company's investigation had found the charge creditable.

The employees demanded that the company stop requiring arbitration for sexual harassment claims, make its sexual harassment policies and practices more transparent, and commit to provide equal pay and promotion opportunities to women.