Online search engine leader Google Inc. casts itself as an enlightened employer that pampers its employees with free meals to supplement plentiful helpings of stock options that could soon be worth millions of dollars.
But a lawsuit filed earlier this week by a recently fired Google manager offers a less flattering picture, contending the company has cultivated a culture that discriminates against older workers and fostered serious morale problems.
The civil complaint, filed Tuesday in Santa Clara Superior court, alleges Mountain View-based Google fired Brian Reid, 54, as its director of operations in February 2004 because he didn't fit in a culture emphasizing "youth and energy."
Google denied the allegations. "We believe Mr. Reid's complaint is without merit and will defend against it vigorously," spokesman Steve Langdon said. He declined to discuss why Reid lost his job.
View: Complete Article
News source: eWeek
But a lawsuit filed earlier this week by a recently fired Google manager offers a less flattering picture, contending the company has cultivated a culture that discriminates against older workers and fostered serious morale problems.
The civil complaint, filed Tuesday in Santa Clara Superior court, alleges Mountain View-based Google fired Brian Reid, 54, as its director of operations in February 2004 because he didn't fit in a culture emphasizing "youth and energy."
Google denied the allegations. "We believe Mr. Reid's complaint is without merit and will defend against it vigorously," spokesman Steve Langdon said. He declined to discuss why Reid lost his job.
View: Complete Article News source: eWeek
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after the discovery sessions.....
I work with older people in IT also, they tend not to want to learn new technologies or change stupid policies.
They just want to do nothing, collect a paycheck, and enforce retarded policies that nobody knows why exist.
I bet this guys co-workers had nothing nice to say about him, just a lazy slob trying to blame the rest of the world for his shortcomings.
Some of the old people where I work are some of the most qualified people I have ever met on paper, but they are also the worst employees I have to deal with.
IT is something you have to live and breath to be good at, if you are not that person, find another profession.
There are 2 types of older employes. The first kind are people who don't know much about computers and only got the job as they knew how to power one on 20 years ago. The second kind are those who knew a lot about computers 20 years ago but still use all of the same processes and will not change anything. It is the most annoying thing when you know you can implement a better process.
I don't know anything about this guy so I cannot comment on it I can only comment on what I have personally had to deal with. To me it sounds like he was hired when Google was small and needed people, he got the job as not many people wanted to risk a job at a new startup dot com company back when the bubble had burst. Then when Google realised he wasn't the best person for the job they asked him to go on training courses, etc. however he has been working for over 30 years, how dare they asking him to learn new things?!? He obviously knows everything as the market never changes! (yeah right) so he got a bit of an attitude and Google decided that a person like him is holding him back so they need to get someone else. They probablbly came up with a few ideas, such as taking a lesser position, etc. However he, like most and understandibly, would see this as an insult and refuse to hand in his notice, so Google retiers the position (and him) then makes up a new position which is identical to the old but with a new name and hire someone else.
Simple business
Usually, you're discriminated upon for being too yound in certain fields of employment wether its investment, politics or elsewhere. I'll keep track.
I think you are being a bit unfair.There is also a 3rd type, which consists of those who still know as much (if not more than) their younger colleagues...
Last edited by 35436 on 26 Jul 2004 - 01:00
Anyways i'm always working with young noob 20 something year olds who think they know everything and always making stupid mistakes.
But there are a lot of adults that I do respect more, and I can tell they know more about certain areas of technology than myself (for example my uncle who worked at Intel, and is now at Adtran). And various people here and so on. But a lot of times, I try to "test" adults to see if they do indeed know more, or not. Most high school teachers do not. I mean, I don't want to trust some idiot with teaching me how do ... say ... program, when he doesn't know a thing in the world about it. I've wrote over 18,000 lines of code myself, and I still wouldn't try to teach a class (unless it's very basic stuff) -- and I'm only 17. However, adults do need to be respected more, I do admit ... but sometimes adults do not know as much as "kids" right out of college. However, since half those idiots getting out of college never spent more than 10 minutes on them actually learning stuff (other than to game), and went to college just for money ... then yeah, I feel ya. I hate it when people do that. Someone goes into something THEY WEREN'T meant for.
*steps off soap box*
But if they did, why did they hire him in the first place? Silly person.
I have a feeling Google won't have any problems with this case, and shouldn't have. Sounds like a whining old man who lacked the skills, got a little sue-happy, and made it to the news.
A perfectly valid reason. Unfortunately, this reason has been made "invalid" due to unconstitutional laws that permit the government to dictate who must be hired and who the company is "allowed" to fire.
Those who enact and enforce "anti-discrimination" laws should be liquidated. Brian Reid needs to be forced to pay Google's legal costs, plus punitive damages.
come on down to england and sort it out a decent way... google vs mr reid... that will teach the fcker...
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