Google employee sacked after his mother died of cancer: ‘Slap in the face’

Google has sacked 12,000 people amid a widespread tech gloom.

A Google software engine has said he was sacked by his employer just days after he returned to work following his mother's death.

The professional, who is based in San Francisco, wrote in a LinkedIn post that his mother died in December after battling stage-four cancer.

He went on bereavement leave and returned sometime earlier this month. Another setback awaited him.

"I was laid off from Google last week. I found out on my fourth day back from bereavement leave," the man said on LinkedIn on January 26. "I'm tired and disappointed."

He said his termination felt like a "slap in the face, like being hit when you're down".

"I've certainly heard worse stories, including layoffs of expecting parents and of Googlers on disability leave," the man added.

Also read: 8 months pregnant woman sacked by Google: 'Couldn't control shaky hands'

The professional looked back on his "challenging" time at Google. He said he joined the company in December 2021 and his mother was diagnosed with cancer the following February.

"Onboarding at Google is challenging, there's a lot of 'just figure it out'," he said. "It was even more difficult when also dealing with my Mom's chemo appointments, moving her in with family, or the extremely challenging last few months of her life."

The professional said he was grateful he spent time with his mother instead of "overworking" for a company that would sack him abruptly.

"There will always be more opportunities to work at exciting companies, but a parent dies only once," he wrote.

The professional said he was also thankful for a "generous" severance package and will take a two-month break to re-centre.

"I am open to starting to search for new work around the end of March," he told his LinkedIn network. "If you hear of any opportunities you think might be particularly suited to me, get in touch."

Many on LinkedIn offered him help.

"I've been putting a career fair together and have a large list of job search websites, Twitter accounts, and some insights on companies laying people off and those that are hiring," one user wrote. "Let me know if you want them, and I can send them over."

"I'm glad you'll have time to get away from everything to process," another wrote. "If you ever need someone to talk to, I know I'm a stranger, but I am more than happy to lend an ear."

Google has become the latest tech giant to order mass layoffs, citing changing economic realities.

The company decided to cut 12,000 jobs across departments and seniority levels.

While announcing the layoffs last week, CEO Sundar Pichai said over the last two years, company had hired people to match its dramatic growth but the situation it faced today was different.