After protests, Google drops forced arbitration for employees
After thousands of its employees walked out in protest last November over the handling of handling sexual harassment cases, Google has announced it will drop forced arbitration requirements for all of its staff.
Google staffers during a protest
The common business practice requires workers to take legal disputes to private arbitration – where there is no judge or jury. In this process they are less likely to win their cases and if they do are likely to get less compensation that a court would grant.
It sparked outrage after it was revealed that Android founder Andy Rubin was allowed to exit with a package worth tens of millions of dollars in the wake of sexual harassment allegations by employees - which he denied.
Activists led a protest in November, which was backed by thousands of Google staffers, which listed six demands. In addition to the end of forced arbitration, they wants a commitment to end pay and opportunity inequality and the creation of a sexual harassment transparency report.
Now, from 21 March, both existing and new employees at Google will have the option to sue in court and to join together in class-action lawsuits.