[dx034]

Why do you have to give them a huge boost in comp? There's no union at Google, they can pay whatever they see fit. They could just hire them at lower salaries but that'd destroy the image that anyone working at a FAANG makes at least $250k/yr.

[lotsofpulp]

A W-2 employee has to be offered all the same benefits as other employees to pass non discrimination testing to keep all those other benefits tax free. W-2 employees also increase unemployment insurance premiums, as well as be liabilities when it comes time to downsize.

I doubt it has anything to do with image.

[hinkley]

Coming from the other direction, the whole point of keeping them as contractors is that it reduces costs. Therefore, converting them by definition means increased costs.

Seems that they're running the same gambit Microsoft did years ago. Microsoft did not win that court case, and that set precedent that other companies are now trying to stay clear of.

[geodel]

Yes, that would just compound the grief. Endless media articles on how certain employees are considered second class citizens at Google.

[erikpukinskis]

Doesn’t this whole thread make it pretty clear that they are?

[geodel]

And this is when they are not actual employees so there is at least legal cover. If Google made them employee it would be 100 times worse.

Mind you, I am not somehow advocating that Google must not hire them. From a culture/ country other than America, I see people can be treated with respect but not paid lot of money mainly because there is not much money to around. But people receiving also understand not a lot of money can be given for certain tasks.

However modern media culture is worst. If Google were to hire full time, I can see headlines "World Richest company pay pittance for back breaking work". And point about job security , benefits would be forgotten.

One can check coverage of full time Amazon warehouse workers on how it plays out. I have never heard a good story about it. Or how other companies hiring warehouse workers doing compare to Amazon across America or world.

[giantg2]

I mean, this is the case at any company really. The highly valued people or people in the management structure are more highly valued and have more say. The very org structure alludes to a class system.