Google has reportedly introduced a surprising opportunity for some of its employees—offering them cash to voluntarily resign.
The tech giant’s latest move will allow eligible employees who opt to leave to receive a generous severance package. This offer was disclosed by Rick Osterloh, Google’s Senior Vice President, to employees in the Platforms and Devices division, according to a report from 9to5Google. The program is currently available only to U.S.-based employees.
The Platforms and Devices division, formed in 2024, oversees key Google products, including Pixel phones, Android, Photos, Google One, and Chrome.
Patrick Seybold, a spokesperson for Google, confirmed the initiative, stating that the program provides employees with the option to exit the company voluntarily with a severance package. He emphasized Google’s focus on efficiency, saying, “There’s tremendous momentum on this team, and with so much important work ahead, we want everyone to be deeply committed to our mission and focused on building great products with speed and efficiency.”
A Pattern of Workforce Reductions
Google has conducted multiple rounds of layoffs in recent years. In January 2023, the company cut 12,000 jobs, offering affected employees at least 16 weeks of full pay and six months of healthcare benefits. Another 1,000 jobs were eliminated in January 2024.
While details of the severance package for this voluntary exit program remain unclear, the move has been met with cautious approval from the Alphabet Workers Union.
Alan McAvinney, a Google software engineer and the union’s organizing chair, acknowledged the progress but urged the company to formalize such voluntary buyout programs into written policy. “We are happy to see material progress in response to our concerns, but we continue to demand that Google commit to offers of voluntary buyouts and fair severance terms by codifying them in its actual policies,” he told SFGATE.
Meanwhile, the union’s vice president, Olivia Asemota, voiced concerns that this move could signal further layoffs in the near future.
