The story behind Google giving it’s 20,000+ workforce a $1,000 bonus and the subsequent firing of the employee who spilled the beans continues to evolve in odd ways. In the latest wrinkle, we find out that the $1,000 bonus was in fact a cash bonus and that many Google employees received said cash this past Friday.
Now why is that little tidbit important?
Well, one Google employee explained to CNET:
The leaker was promptly fired because he or she selfishly and thoughtlessly put 20,000 co-workers in immediate danger of being mugged while carrying holiday bonus cash on their way home in the dark that very evening. And because the leaker directly disobeyed repeated and very explicit instructions from the top, not to leak this bonus news prematurely before evening when all workers were home safe.
Are there muggings in Silicon Valley? Are Google employees that identifiable? Is someone who would actually mug someone the type of person who even reads tech blogs? So many questions, so little time.
November 16th, 2010 at 12:18 pm
“Is someone who would actually mug someone the type of person who even reads tech blogs?”
Funny stuff. Hopefully no one was hurt, though.
November 17th, 2010 at 7:21 am
Google may just have a problem with one of their engineers breaching non-disclosure rules. Especially, if the violation was that egregious. If Google was really worried about people being mugged they would have done the normal thing and handed the bonuses out by cheque.
Also, Google has offices all over the world.
November 18th, 2010 at 7:02 am
An employee who can’t follow a simple, explicit instruction like this can’t be trusted and should be fired.