Google Employee Who Was “Harassed” Unless He Agreed to a Separation Agreement Reveals “The Goodness of Japan” After Being Offered Resignation

In January of this year, Google, a big tech company in the U.S., announced that it would lay off 6% of its employees in each country, sending shockwaves around the world. In the U.S., some employees lost their jobs and access to the company overnight, while in Japan, a labor union was formed and some employees have remained with the company despite being “advised to resign. The union has already requested a second round of negotiations, but no date has been set for the next round. What is the difference between the U.S. and Japan? What is the difference between the U.S. and Japan?

In March of this year, Japanese employees were also subject to layoffs. Frank (pseudonym, in his 30s) received an e-mail informing him that he was included in the 6%. It said, “Your position is also included in the 6%.

Please sign the release agreement within the next two weeks. Thank you for your past contributions.”

The email did not explain that the consent was “voluntary” and did not use the word “termination.” Frank was concerned about the nuance, as if he had already agreed to leave.

He said, “For me, agreeing to resign was not an option, so I asked what would happen if I did not sign the agreement. Then the person in charge said, ‘If you sign, you will get a full severance package and other benefits, but if you don’t, I don’t know what will happen. ‘ I figured that was part of the strategy.”

There was another strategy on Google’s part.

The interview that prompted the separation was conducted not with Google LLC, but with a representative of Deloitte Tohmatsu Consulting, LLC.

The representative further responded that if I ignored the two-week deadline, I would be “harassed by several people ” to sign on.

However, when Frank pointed out that he thought it was against the law to be harassed for not complying with a resignation recommendation, the other party assured him that this was so.

At first, he was surprised to find himself the target of the harassment, but a ray of hope came when he heard that a labor union was being formed at the same time and that workers were protected under Japanese labor law. Even foreign-affiliated companies doing business in Japan must operate in accordance with Japanese laws, including the Labor Standards Law, the Occupational Health and Safety Law, and the Labor Union Law.

Frank had no intention of agreeing to leave his job, so he decided to join the labor union. He joined the Google Japan Union, which had already been formed, and in March he went to the collective bargaining session.

At the collective bargaining session attended by about 50 union members, the union demanded that the union not recommend resignation or dismissal to its members. The union also pointed out that the company would not choose any means to force a resignation agreement, which would be illegal under Japanese labor law because it would constitute harassment.

Frank was told that the company would leave no stone unturned to secure an agreement, but he refused to accept it because he was convinced that the company would not be able to force him to do so, at least not under duress. For the two weeks leading up to the deadline, he endured daily e-mails. The number of e-mails pressing for an agreement increased as the deadline approached. He also received an e-mail from the company’s human resources manager wishing him success in his new job, as if he had already agreed to it.

Of course I was stressed, but I had expected this, so I was not surprised. I told myself that I would endure it for the next two weeks, and I did my best. I was also a union member, so I knew I was legally covered. I made up my mind early on and tried not to bend on my decision.”

Thanks to his efforts, Frank is still working at the company after the two-week deadline has passed.

However, employees who refused to sign the separation agreement were removed from their responsibilities and placed in jobs that were not commensurate with their work history and skills.