On Thursday Nov. 1st, at around 11:00 a.m., more than 20,000 Google employees walked out of their offices in protest of Google’s treatment towards sexual misconduct cases. The walkout was a global phenomenon with over 3,000 employees walking out in New York alone, alongside dozens of Dublin employees.
The walkout is in response to a New York Times article recently published that publicized how Google has been paying senior executives, specifically males, large exit packages after they were accused of sexual misconduct while also remaining quiet about the actions. It was later revealed that 48 employees have been fired in the past two years for
allegations of sexual assault.
The walkout not only emphasized the lack of punishment and involvement in sexual misconduct cases, it also marked a growing sense of inequality within the work place. Specifically, many female employees at Google have been vocal about compensation inequalities and lack of diversity in the workplace.
With over 20,000 employees participating in the walkout, this turnout shows how no one should be silenced any longer. Seniority in the workplace is not an excuse for sexual misconduct. To the 20,000 people who walked out, thank you for using your voice to say “Time’s Up.”