Google discriminates against older workers?

[intelliot]

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 emphasising "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.

[cvrk3]

the world itself does not permit oldies.

[intelliot]

In the US the population is getting older (on average)

[tntcheats]

That's a good thing IMHO.

[tokkolo]

Originally Posted by tntcheats

That's a good thing IMHO.

Where are you referring to? That the population in avarage in the US is getting older? Or that google allegedly fired an 54 year old man beacaus he didn’t fit in a culture emphasising "youth and energy."

I think it's a good idea to keep young people in an organisation, because the have fresh and innovating ideas. I think that the google services are being more used by younger people, than older people, wich highlites the importance of recruiting younger people for that organisation(they think alike).

However I don't feel it's right to fire an older man for his age. If you do that you lose the people who have all of the experience in the company. And new and innovating ideas might be good, but without the experience of the older employees, you are no where.

Just my two cents.

(sorry for the spelling It's urly in the morning, I'm not totally awake yet )

[antioco2003]

It's a kind of problem you can find everywhere. If you are looking for a job you shouldn't be a middle age person, in that case you'll have problems to find something interesting (just a word this last one...).
The moment you are older than 40 the number of possiblities decreases a lot.

Imagine that 54-year-old Google man is your father. What would you think then? He's going to be sacked for being old, but when Google contracted him I suppose that man was not 25...

I agree Google is a young and modern company, but things like this make you think if they have to "sacrifice" everything/everybody for the sake of modernity and youth.

[cvrk3]

excellant view points!! the age should not count it is the energy willingess to achieve the corporate goal should be the factors.
we talk of employees. what you would like your boss to be? Younger or older? what sectors the more than 50 should be in the society? participate in the poll- how old are you. i will post the poll after consulting intelliot for some tweaking. i do not want the results to be displayed immediately. the poll will be on for next 15 days and results will be declared later.

[tntcheats]

Where are you referring to?

Oops, sorry for not being more clear:
the population getting older means that we're heading closer towards a ZPG (Zero Population Growth).

[antioco2003]

Originally Posted by tntcheats

the population getting older means that we're heading closer towards a ZPG (Zero Population Growth).

Yeah, I agree with you. And in some countries the population growth is even negative

[tokkolo]

Yes that's right, the population is getting older (and therefore the the population growth is decreasing). What I don't understand is why you think that's a good thing? Maybe I'm missing something here, like the clue / the point, but I don't see it.

*looking confused and scrating my head*