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Google engineer: Raise leaker exposed us to mugging

11 points by wiks 16y ago

bluedevil2k 16y ago
Oh gosh, talk about a crazy scare tactic here. First, why would anyone want $1000 in cash to take home instead of just direct depositing it? Second, the employees are more likely to be mugged by other Google employees than they are by some confluence of a) a person who reads tech blogs b) a person who knows where a Google employee lives c) has the ethical "challenges" that would make them want to risk jail time for a measly $1k.
- tzs 16y ago
  > First, why would anyone want $1000 in cash to take home instead of just direct depositing it? Less paper trail if you plan to blow it on hookers and drugs?
  - deleted 16y ago
    [deleted]
rradu 16y ago
Unless Google paid the bonuses in cash, I don't see how this would expose them to any sort of mugging. I just find this whole thing ridiculous. With 23,000 employees - and the friends and family they shared the news with - the news was bound to get out anyway.
- jparise 16y ago
  Google actually did pay the bonuses in cash.
- dtf 16y ago
  "Google gave employees the option of taking their $1,000 bonus home in cash on the day of the announcement. Which would undoubtedly have constituted a pleasant surprise for the families of many."
  - charlesdm 16y ago
    I wouldn't want to be part of the team putting that cash in envelopes.
    - mbyrne 16y ago
      I would.
  - rradu 16y ago
    Hm, must've missed that. I doubt too many decided to take it as cash anyway. Still, the argument that the leak put every one at the company in danger seems ridiculous to me.
mey 16y ago
An unnamed source, describes a scenario which, from what is understood, never actually happened. Thanks cnet my day is now more complete.
ry0ohki 16y ago
I find it hard to believe Google gave cash to people. Bosses just had big stacks of $100 bills in their desk to hand out?
- hga 16y ago
  I'm sure a bank doing serious business with Google wouldn't mind filling a request for N hundred/thousand envelopes with 10 hundred dollar bills in them (no doubt for a small fee).
fleitz 16y ago
By that logic google paying their employees via electronic methods exposes them to identity fraud. Given that employees were given a choice, they took the risk upon themselves. This is just PR coverage for firing an employee because they embarrassed Google. I mean seriously, who sends actual 'confidential' information to all employees. Furthermore, courts have ruled that pay information is not confidential and to restrict employees from talking about their pay violates their rights to free speech. If Google were actually concerned about employees getting mugged they would not offer a cash payment. I mean how hard would it be for google to arrange an electronic transfer to take place on the day of the announcement.
deleted 16y ago
[deleted]

11 points by wiks 16y ago

Oh gosh, talk about a crazy scare tactic here. First, why would anyone want $1000 in cash to take home instead of just direct depositing it? Second, the employees are more likely to be mugged by other Google employees than they are by some confluence of a) a person who reads tech blogs b) a person who knows where a Google employee lives c) has the ethical "challenges" that would make them want to risk jail time for a measly $1k.

tzs 16y ago
> First, why would anyone want $1000 in cash to take home instead of just direct depositing it? Less paper trail if you plan to blow it on hookers and drugs?
- deleted 16y ago
  [deleted]

rradu 16y ago

Unless Google paid the bonuses in cash, I don't see how this would expose them to any sort of mugging. I just find this whole thing ridiculous. With 23,000 employees - and the friends and family they shared the news with - the news was bound to get out anyway.

jparise 16y ago
Google actually did pay the bonuses in cash.
dtf 16y ago
"Google gave employees the option of taking their $1,000 bonus home in cash on the day of the announcement. Which would undoubtedly have constituted a pleasant surprise for the families of many."
- charlesdm 16y ago
  I wouldn't want to be part of the team putting that cash in envelopes.
  - mbyrne 16y ago
    I would.
- rradu 16y ago
  Hm, must've missed that. I doubt too many decided to take it as cash anyway. Still, the argument that the leak put every one at the company in danger seems ridiculous to me.

mey 16y ago

An unnamed source, describes a scenario which, from what is understood, never actually happened. Thanks cnet my day is now more complete.

ry0ohki 16y ago

I find it hard to believe Google gave cash to people. Bosses just had big stacks of $100 bills in their desk to hand out?

hga 16y ago
I'm sure a bank doing serious business with Google wouldn't mind filling a request for N hundred/thousand envelopes with 10 hundred dollar bills in them (no doubt for a small fee).

fleitz 16y ago

By that logic google paying their employees via electronic methods exposes them to identity fraud. Given that employees were given a choice, they took the risk upon themselves. This is just PR coverage for firing an employee because they embarrassed Google. I mean seriously, who sends actual 'confidential' information to all employees. Furthermore, courts have ruled that pay information is not confidential and to restrict employees from talking about their pay violates their rights to free speech. If Google were actually concerned about employees getting mugged they would not offer a cash payment. I mean how hard would it be for google to arrange an electronic transfer to take place on the day of the announcement.

deleted 16y ago

[deleted]