Document sheds light on Google's treatment of temps

Not all who work for Google are treated to the same benefits that the Silicon Valley company is renowned for, a new report suggests.

Some staff are allegedly barred from receiving perks, attending all-hands meetings, or joining professional development trainings.

In a recent article by The Guardian, an internal training document seen by the publication revealed how the tech giant purportedly instructed staff on how to engage with temporary employees, vendors and contractors (TVCs).

Known as “The ABCs of TVCs,” the document supposedly explained that working with TVCs is different from working with Googlers who are directly employed by the company. The policy was allegedly created because arrangements with TVCs carried “significant risks.”

Google’s main concerns likely involve standard insider threats, such as information leaks or data theft, or the risk of Google being considered a joint employer.

But the tech giant has come under fire from full-time employees (FTEs) because of how it supposedly treats TVCs.

In July, Bloomberg reported the company did not even employ a majority of its workers directly. Of the approximately 170,000 people currently working for Google around the world, only half were full-time employees.

Google’s seemingly unequal approach to FTEs and TVCs was made apparent following a recent string of workers’ protests.

Earlier this month, protest organizers sent an open letter to CEO Sundar Pichai that outlined some of the TVCs’ concerns, including differential treatment regarding wages and benefits. The letter also discussed how TVCs are not given enough access to information related to their safety and wellbeing.

Google has denied the allegations. “We hire Google employees to work on jobs that are core to our business, and look to temps, vendors and contractors when we either don’t have the expertise or infrastructure ourselves, or when we need temporary help due to employee leaves or short-term projects,” said Google spokesperson Jenn Kaiser.

“Temps, vendors and contractors are an important part of our extended workforce, but they are employed by other companies, not Google.”