3 ms·

Can confirm -- also a Googler, but from Austin and recently Mountain View. This is both Google's default policy (not feeling well? go home) and recommendations

Can confirm -- also a Googler, but from Austin and recently Mountain View. This is both Google's default policy (not feeling well? go home) and recommendations for current conditions, with more emphasis on staying home even if you're uncomfortable. We even have a whole team dedicated to tracking this stuff and keeping Googlers safe. It's amazing how much outright hate is being spewed here over this -- it borderlines on outright panic.

FriendlyNormie 7y ago
A list should be created of all the fearmongering Alex Jones impersonators who have recently been infesting the comment sections on HN so that six months from now when we look back and see that nothing of significance actually happened as a result of this virus other than the side effects of the fearmongering, they can all be shadowbanned. I’ve seen individuals shadowbanned on HN for much less damaging behavior than this.
akhilcacharya 7y ago
> This is both Google's default policy (not feeling well? go home) I can’t imagine many tech companies (or even salaried office jobs) having very different default policies. That is sort of missing the point in an emerging pandemic.
- mondoshawan 7y ago
  Google's not my first rodeo, and I can say that many many tech companies I have worked at have unstated policies of "work until you drop" because of the startup culture that pervades tech. Google is not one of those. Just bear in mind, what you see from the news media is not rarely the whole picture -- especially when the veil of corporate secrecy is involved.
  - mav3rick 7y ago
    He undermines Google in every post. Par for the course.
- mav3rick 7y ago
  You won't get Google's culture. Regardless of the HN bubble it really is employee friendly and it shows in crises like these. Our health insurance is also the best if not way better than other FAANG + Microsoft. When the travel ban happened Google security helped people across the globe. Not many tech companies would do that. Doubt Amazon would.
  - akhilcacharya 7y ago
    > Doubt Amazon would. yikes https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2017/jan/31/amazon-expedia-microsoft-support-washington-action-against-donald-trump-travel-ban https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2017/jan/31/amazon-ex...
    - mav3rick 7y ago
      Bezos fighting Trump. No history there. Also did Amazon send it's own security to help employees stuck in other countries ? I'm sure they would have charged people for help.
  - slrz 7y ago
    How is Google's work-from-home policy nowadays? Does it differ between Europe and the US?
    - mav3rick 7y ago
      It all depends between you and your manager. But as long as you're productive and are not always WFH, I have seen no issues with people taking days to WFH. Some specialists and proven architects negotiated to WFH full time.

FriendlyNormie 7y ago

A list should be created of all the fearmongering Alex Jones impersonators who have recently been infesting the comment sections on HN so that six months from now when we look back and see that nothing of significance actually happened as a result of this virus other than the side effects of the fearmongering, they can all be shadowbanned. I’ve seen individuals shadowbanned on HN for much less damaging behavior than this.

akhilcacharya 7y ago

> This is both Google's default policy (not feeling well? go home) I can’t imagine many tech companies (or even salaried office jobs) having very different default policies. That is sort of missing the point in an emerging pandemic.

mondoshawan 7y ago
Google's not my first rodeo, and I can say that many many tech companies I have worked at have unstated policies of "work until you drop" because of the startup culture that pervades tech. Google is not one of those. Just bear in mind, what you see from the news media is not rarely the whole picture -- especially when the veil of corporate secrecy is involved.
- mav3rick 7y ago
  He undermines Google in every post. Par for the course.
mav3rick 7y ago
You won't get Google's culture. Regardless of the HN bubble it really is employee friendly and it shows in crises like these. Our health insurance is also the best if not way better than other FAANG + Microsoft. When the travel ban happened Google security helped people across the globe. Not many tech companies would do that. Doubt Amazon would.
- akhilcacharya 7y ago
  > Doubt Amazon would. yikes https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2017/jan/31/amazon-expedia-microsoft-support-washington-action-against-donald-trump-travel-ban https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2017/jan/31/amazon-ex...
  - mav3rick 7y ago
    Bezos fighting Trump. No history there. Also did Amazon send it's own security to help employees stuck in other countries ? I'm sure they would have charged people for help.
- slrz 7y ago
  How is Google's work-from-home policy nowadays? Does it differ between Europe and the US?
  - mav3rick 7y ago
    It all depends between you and your manager. But as long as you're productive and are not always WFH, I have seen no issues with people taking days to WFH. Some specialists and proven architects negotiated to WFH full time.